


Dear Teacher!

by LavandeReve



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: 1p characters will show up later!, 2P America (Hetalia), 2P Canada (Hetalia), 2P China (Hetalia), 2P England (Hetalia), 2P FACE Family, 2P France (Hetalia), 2P Hetalia, 2P Prussia (Hetalia), 2P Russia (Hetalia), Ancient Rome, Ancients, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Germania - Freeform, Humor, Kid Fic, Reader-Insert, and her maternal instincts go into overdrive, kind of like a found family fic???, reader is the teacher of the 2p! and 1p! characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 107,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23198005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LavandeReve/pseuds/LavandeReve
Summary: (Full Name) is the lucky SoB who has gotten the chance to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher! What's more is that she's able to teach at the illustrious Hetalia Academy! But, with so many multi-cultural kids with individual problems, can she truly teach a class that doesn't trust her? Well she always did love a challenge!Featuring 1p! and 2p! babies~!
Comments: 20
Kudos: 29





	1. Strange Meeting, Strange Man

**Author's Note:**

> Hello to the lovely people reading this! This is just a cute little fic that I made for times when I was feeling down and wanted to cheer myself up! I hope this story can do the same for you~  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**July: Monday 28th, 20XX~** _

* * *

_Mornings_. The bane of all things nocturnal. It was a rude and hateful beast, that accursed light from the flaming death ball in the sky. It was bright and burned your poor little eyes from its rays of cancerous radiation, showing no mercy to those it had forcefully awaken from their lovely dreams.

Those blasted golden rays of natural sun light paired with the annoyingly loud chime of my alarm clock screaming at me to wake up did _not_ make for a pleasant morning, especially when it was on my day off. Why the hell was my alarm clock ringing in the first place??? I had gone grocery shopping two days ago (so I didn't need to get up early to shop for food), had no errands to do (nor money to do them with), and had no plans on meeting up with anyone. So, why the hell was I up at the time of day that was enjoyed by old people and joggers on a early morning walk?

The audacity! The Gall!! The absolute disrespect!!! Just who did my phone think it was? It didn’t pay no bills!

I furrowed my closed eyes and groaned. I was having such a lovely dream in the mouthwatering world of _Candy Land_ and I was soooo close to eating my weight in a diabetically sinful feast of my favorite dessert before being rudely awaken. Maybe if I just laid still and kept my eyes shut, I could go back to sleep? Ah, but I knew the dream just wouldn't be the same...

I clicked my tongue. Welp, looks like I’d better suck it up and leave my nice warm cocoon. Might as well, right? Oh fare the well bed. How I’ll miss thee~

I sat up with a stretch and a yawn, blearily looking towards my phone which was still going off. I swear, the sound of this alarm was going to give me PTSD for years to come. 

I reached over and snatched it up in order to slide it off...well that _was_ what I was going to do...until my eyes caught sight of the digital words at the bottom written in all caps….

**_"WAKE UP YOU FUCKING IDIOT!!! YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE FOR THE INTERVIEW OF YOUR NEW JOB!!! HURRY THE HELL UP AND GET FUCKING DRESSED BEFORE YOU GET FIRED AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE OFF OF BOOTLEG CEREAL AND POP TARTS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!!!"_ **

I blankly looked at the note that I, myself, wrote last night and felt something hard, cold, and metal like drop down to my stomach...

It was then, when my brain finally stopped buffering, that I realized it was my heart that had up and died on me.

I damn near mastered Ultra Instinct with how fast I moved. The next forty minutes had been a frantic whirl wind of chaos and confusion paired with both internal and external screaming. I was late! Super late!! Super-duper-uber late!!! How the hell could I forget that today was the interview for my new job?! **HOW?!** And not only was it for a new job, it was my _dream_ job!

Today, I, the lovely (Full Name)~ ☆, were going to be teaching at the illustrious Hetalia Academy!

Hetalia Academy was known as one of the most elite schools in the country and in the top 10 of the world! The Academy boasted a high successful graduation rate and has been said to have produced the many entrepreneurs, world class chefs, college professors, scientist, and many more great minds who were working towards making our world a better place. The staff were also renowned for their works and skills, with teachers making an almost heart stopping amount of money. Even the janitors had enough coin to build a two-story house made out of wooden mop handles with a pool in the back!

Now! The main question that you all are probably wondering is how on Earth did I manage to get such a gold mine of a job? The answer!!! I ah…actually, I’m not too sure...

You could say it just...fell in my lap? Yeah...Yeah that about sums it up...well...sort of...I mean it isn't every day that the headmaster of an elite private school happens to fall on top of you after all! Hahaha…haha…ha…

Er, well...let me just explain from the beginning, yeah?

* * *

_**July: Friday 25th, 20XX (three days ago)~** _

* * *

It had been an ordinary day like any other. I was feeling pretty good, walking down the street with five garbage bag sized grocery bags in my hands (there had been a huge half off sale that day and with all the coupons I had managed to save, the total came down to zero! If there was one thing I prided myself in, it was my master couponing ability that I had learned from my mother and she her own). I was humming to myself slightly, politely declining the help of some people who offered to help me carrying my bags (they weren't super heavy, and I didn't want to trouble anyone). As I was walking though, I had heard a loud commotion coming from down the street.

"HEY! THIEF! SOMEBODY STOP THAT MAN!" I jumped at the sudden yell. Did somebody just say thief? What on earth?!

My eyes widened as I spotted a shady looking man dressed in all black. Has was wearing a surgical mask and sunglasses, clearly trying to hide his identity as he bolted down the street, roughly shoving through the shocked crowd. I could see that he was carrying some kind of wooden brief case that was tucked to his side.

The closer the man got, the more I wanted to move out of the way to avoid being in his path. Of course, I didn't want him to get away, but what else could I do? I couldn't stop him, especially since my hands were a little tied up at the moment. Besides, he could be armed or something and I didn't want to get hurt. I could only hope that the police would catch him in time before he got away...

I was about to step to the side to avoid getting hit by the man when the same voice from earlier screamed something out that made me freeze.

" _Figlio di put-tch_! PLEASE, SOMEONE STOP HIM! HE TOOK MY GRANDSON'S PRESENT!"

 _'What?!'_ My eyes went wide as a rush of anger boiled in my chest. He stole some kid's gift?! Stealing in general was bad enough, but to steal a child's own present??? Now that _really_ pissed me off!

I scowled and moved in front of the gift jacker, earning surprised looks from those around me. Some tried to tell me to move out of the way and questioned my actions, but I tuned them out, staring the man down.

"Oi! If you know what's good for you, then get the hell out of my way!" The man in black growled, still rushing towards me.

I stood firm, unwavering as I griped the grocery bags in my hands. "If you're going to threaten me, then don't use such a cliché scare tactic!" I honestly didn't know what I was going to do, but all I did know was that I had to stop this guy! But how?!

The man clicked his tongue and, much to my dismay, pulled out a knife with his free hand. This caused many people to gasp and those with their own children to pull them out of any possible harm’s way. I inwardly sighed in relief at that. That was one worry taken care of at least. Didn't want anyone to get hurt now, and that included myself.

"You got one last chance now bitch! Get out of my way or I'll slice you to ribbons!"

 _‘Jeez! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?!’_ I flinched and felt my earlier bravado waver a little. This was crazy! Reckless!! Downright _stupid_!!! What on earth was I doing?! This guy had a knife and was

Still though, even under all the panic and fear, I could still remember why I were doing such a crazy, reckless, and downright stupid thing in the first place and it strengthened my resolve right up again.

 _'Come on (F/n)! Don't bitch out now! Remember! What would Jesus do?!'_ Think! Think!! Think!!! Ah, wait a minute, that’s it! I know just what to do! It was such a simple plan that I can’t believe I didn't think of it sooner~

My plan solidly set, I crouched down into a fighting stance and lifted my leg up slightly (like in the movies!!!).

"I refuse to be intimidated by a generic, no name, stock batman bad guy! Go back to shoplifting from Seven-Elevens' you asshole!" That seemed to tick the man off even more ‘cause he put on an extra burst of speed and readied his knife.

"That's it you little bitch! Take this!" The man was right in front of me and readied his knife to slash at me. Luckily, I was prepared for this as I bent backwards! I wanted to go for a _Matrix_ moment so I could look cool and stuff, but I wasn’t super flexible so I decided to just go with the flailing chicken technique. I missed the man's swing by a few good inches and managed to right myself up without falling.

With the man so close, I could see the surprised look on his face from behind his mask and sunglasses. I couldn’t help but smirk a little at his surprise. Hehe, bet you weren’t expecting that huh~?

As I backed up and began to rotate my body along with the five bags of groceries in my hands. It took only a second for me to make a full swing around and when I did I screamed out- "AND STOP FUCKING CURSING IN FRONT OF CHILDREN!" before I slammed the many bags into his head! The speed from my swing made the impact even harder and he went crashing down to the ground with a girly yelp and a nasty sounding crack.

The thief’s eyes behind his broken and crooked sunglasses turned to X's and he gave a goofy, zipper tooth smile from behind his ripped surgical mask before he passed out. I huffed above the man, glaring down at him before I pointed at him.

"You’re setting a bad example for the youth of our nation! You should always buy the things you need and want with your hard earn money! _Swiper no Swiping_!" I puffed up my chest, feeling rather proud of myself as everyone around me clapped and cheered at my take down. It wasn't _exactly_ something I thought Jesus would do, but whatever, it got the job done! 

I smiled as I bent down to pick up the wooden case from the man's grip. Ah good, looks like it wasn’t scratched or broken! Hmm, now that I’m taking a closer look at it, I think it’s an art case.

The fine wood looked to be of a high quality and was polished to an almost jewel like shine. On the bottom was a sentence that seemed to be burned in elegant cursive. It was in a language I didn't really know, though...it looked like Spanish? No, no...was this maybe Italian? I knew a dismal amount of the Romance language from T.V shows and movies so all I could understand was the words "Grandson" and "Felician-"

"Hey!" The loud voice of a man suddenly interrupted my thoughts and I looked up to see him rushing towards me. He looked around my age, possibly in his late twenties to early thirties. He was tall, deeply tanned, and had brown eyes, a stubble, and matching colored hair with two cute little curls that bounced as he made his way towards me.

 _‘Holy Rigatoni…’_ I blushed slightly as I looked at him. I couldn't really help it as he _was_ very handsome and looked dashing in his white and wine-red themed Armani suit. He looked like he could be on the cover of those cheesy Harlequin novels that I _totally_ don’t read. He was waving at me cheerfully and the look of pure relief on his face clued me in on who this man might be.

" _Grazie a Dio!_ Thank you _Bella_! You have no idea at how grateful I a-" He called out, now a few feet in front of me, before being cut off. I wasn’t sure why he suddenly stopped until I saw him pitch forward. I quickly realized that the man had tripped over the still passed out robber (how he managed not to see the guy, I’ll never know).

 _‘Uh oh!’_ My eyes widened as I saw the man fall. My body moved before my brain could send out signals for it to do so. "Watch out!" I shouted as I valiantly rushed forward to catch the man.

It was then, as I reached my hands out while the man reached towards me to stop his fall in reflex, that I realized the _slight_ flaw in my plan.

You see, the act of trying to hold up a man twice my size and with plenty of muscle to go around (if what I could see under that red dress shirt of his was any indication) with my physique wasn't a very smart idea. So instead of the mental image in my mind of holding the man up and scolding him on being careful while he embarrassedly apologized with a smile, I was hit with reality (in more ways then one).

And as I was falling, I belatedly hoped that I wouldn’t crack the eggs more than I did already.

I felt all the air leave my lungs in a rush as the two of us fell with a somewhat comical sound. I laid there for a few moments, just contemplating all my life decisions or thinking of whatever people do when they've just been semi-football tackled to the ground. Various curse words, _"Oof!" "Mmm watcha saaaay~!"_. 

_‘My everything hurts…’_ My middle-aged bones couldn’t take this kind of abuse! I groaned in pain and discomfort, not bothering to answer the worried questionings of the surrounding people who I was starting to curse for being unable to seemingly do anything but just stand and stare! At least they seemed to be worried about me, so I guess I’ll let it slide for...

The man groaned himself and began to raise off of me. I looked up into his hickory eyes and apologetic smile, catching a whiff of his spciy and undoubtedly expensive cologne. He smelt just as nice as he looked and man, that sounded _waaaay~_ creepier than I intended for it to be (I hope to God there isn’t a mind reader around here).

The man rubbed the back of his head and gave a chuckle. "Ah~! _Mi dispiace per quello_ , _Bella_. I'm usually not so clumsy. Though, if that means I can break my falls on such lovely angels like you, I wouldn't mind having two left feet~!"

Oh my God, did he seriously just-? " _Snrk!_ Dude, that was so cheesy I could make macaroni with it!" That pick-up line was as sweet as it was awful! It definitely wasn’t the worst that I’ve heard though~

The man grinned down at me before finally getting off and offering his hand, to which I accepted gratefully.

"Well since we're on the subject of food, why don't I treat you to some lunch. It's the least I could do for you saving my Grandson's present and for falling on you!" He smoothly asked while I brushed off some of the dust and dirt from my clothes.

 _'So he really was the one who yelled out earlier!'_ He definitely didn't look old enough to be a grandfather at all! Just what kind of skin care routine did he use to look that young? Did he bathe in the fountain of youth or something???

I looked up at the older(?) man with a small smile. "Ah, sorry but as much as I would love to have a free lunch and all, I have to take these groceries back to my house."

The man seemed to deflate a bit at this before perking up and pulling out his wallet. "Well if that's the case let me give you this!" He cheered, pulling out a gold card and handing it to me. I took it and read the card in interest. It was in English with his name and number printed in fancy lettering.

Julius Vargas...now where have I heard that name before? Vargas…Vargas…Hmm, It was on the tip of my tongue...

Ah, I got nothin’. That’s fine though. It couldn't have been _that_ important if I couldn't remember...

"And here's a little something else for your troubles, please accept this as a token of my gratitude!" He announced regally and I looked up from the card to see what Mr. Vargas was talking aboooooooohmygOD?!?!?

My jaw nearly fell to the ground as I took in the huge stack of money in his hands with bugged out eyes! Perhaps it was due to a concussion from falling earlier, but I swear they all looked like hundred-dollar bills! Twenty Ben Franklins!! Two thousand fricken' _BUCKS_!!!

The on lookers surrounding us had similar expressions on their faces, most of them looking to be mentally kicking themselves for being a wuss and not helping, (one man was actually kicking himself)!

I have never seen this much money all at once in my whole life! Who the hell just walks around with two thousand dollars on them and gives it out to random people?! I looked up at Mr. Vagras (who had an amused smile on his face) before looking down at the money, then back up at him. This continued for five more iterations before I looked at his face again.

"M...M-Mr...Vargas...I...um...I'm not trying to sound ungrateful or anything...but are you sure you want to give me that much money?...it seems like an a...a-awful lot." I croaked, ignoring the incredulous looks the surrounding people were giving me, clearly questioning my sanity. Hell, maybe I really _did_ have a concussion. Why was I looking this gift horse in the mouth?! Here I was, having two thousand dollars being handed to me on a silver platter and I was trying to get him to rethink his decision?! Bitch what was I doing?! Take the money and go ham! I can pay the bills, go on a shopping spree, eat my weight in my favorite chocolate!

Mr. Vargas’ boisterous laughter and dismissive wave broke me from my thoughts. "Don't worry about its lovely _signora_! This is only a small showing of how grateful I am is all! I would actually love to give you some more, but this is all I have in my wallet at the moment. I could stop at the bank if you would-?"

"YES! Er, I mean- N...N-NO!" I shouted, waving my hands like crazy while everyone seemed to have their eyes bugging out of their heads. Only a _small_ showing a gratitude?! Who the flying frick was this guy?!

My heart was beating a mile a minute as I stuttered out something to say. "Gah! Um...M...M-Mr. Vargas-"

"Julius."

"Huh?!"

"Call me Julius _signora_ , that's what most call me anyway!" He reiterated, putting on a charming smile.

"...Um, Mr. Julius...I um, I'm really grateful and everything, but I don't think you need to give me so much money! I didn't really do anything that the police or someone else couldn't have so um-"

Mr. Julius lifted his large hand and my panicked babbling tapered off to a silent mumble. His warm brown eyes shined with kindness and gratitude.

"Please Miss, it really isn't much at all. You saved my darling Grandson's present. This was the one thing he consistently asked for this whole year and I know he'll be besides himself with joy when he sees it. In my eyes, you saved his smile and for that, I am thankful. Words cannot express how so...so please, except this."

I was stunned. Mr. Julius had spoke with such an earnest, heart filled sentiment that all I could do was just shut up and take the money. A majority of the surrounding onlookers swooned or cooed at his grateful words. I couldn't blame them, as I could practically feel the love of his grandson in his words. He truly cared for him...It was so sweet...

Mr. Julius smiled at me once more before taking my hand in his. I blushed a little at the contact and looked up in his hickory eyes. "Please allow me to show more of my gratitude by treating you to a lovely dinner tomorrow at 8:00."

“Uh…yeah, sure…” I nodded dumbly, still not quite there with the situation and how...enchanting the conversation had gotten all of a sudden.

Mr. Julius' face lit up with joy as he shook my hands energetically. " _Grazie! Grazie Bella!_ Like I said, I'll pick you up at 8:00 at your house...by the way what is your name?" He inquired to which I mumbled out the answer.

"(Full Name) huh? Such a lovely name for a lovely angel~" He hummed to himself as the surrounding group either sighed dreamily or gagged to themselves. I was honestly somewhere in the middle...

Mr. Julius suddenly looked at his watch and uttered a surprised "Oh!" before looking towards me again. "It's a shame that we have to cut our meeting so short, but I have a meeting to attend to!"

Almost as if summoned by his words, a sleek limousine pulled up on the side of the road as children and adults alike _ooo'ed_ and _ahh'ed_ at it while others were going to lose their jaws to Mother Earth herself if any more surprising shit happens.

Mr. Julius walked towards the high-class vehicle as the driver ran out to open the door for him. Before he got in the car, he turned to waved back at me with that mega-watt smile of his.

" _Ciao_ (F/n)! I'll see at 8 tomorrow!" He called back before getting in the car and a few moments later, the limo drove off. Everyone was either staring at the departing Limo or at me. All I could do was just stand there; five bags of groceries in my left hand, two thousand dollars in my right, and a still passed out petty criminal in front of me. Only one thought managed to make itself known through all of the chaotic ones...

_'Oh, crap! I need to get home before the ice cream melts!'_

And with that I hurried down the street, leaving the remnants of today's bizarre adventure behind.

* * *

_**Translations in order:** _

_**(Italian) Grazie a Dio!: Thank God**  
 **(Italian)** **Bella: Beautiful**  
 **(Italian)** **Mi dispiace per quello: Sorry about that**  
 **(Italian)** **Signora: Lady** _

_**Thanks for Reading~!** _


	2. What to do, oh what to do?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (F/n) gets ready for her date with Julius and ends up learning more about him than she anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**July: Monday 28th, 20XX~** _

* * *

"Shit! Fuck! God damn it! Oh God, this sucks _so_ much!" and many other irritated sentence enhancers spilled from my lips as I jumped out of the shower, dripping water all over my bathmat and floor. I quickly snatched up my towel before dashing out of the bathroom, nearly slipping in my haste.

 _'Why?!'_ I could feel comically exaggerated tears of self-loathing brim at my eyes. _'Why did my chronic irresponsibility and carelessness have to show itself now of all times?! You'd think a high paying job would straighten my act, but I guess it's true when they say old habits die hard!'_

I quickly looked through my closet, trying to scrounge up something appropriate to wear for the meeting. "AaAaAhHhHh~! What should I wear! It's a prestigious school so I should wear something formal right?! But I don't really have anything other than some dresses and dress shirts! And what about my hair?! I can't go in with a bird nest on my head! Would it be bad to just wear slippers or something as well?! Aw crap! Double crap!! _Triple Crap_!!!"

Needless to say, I was a _little_ anxious. Who knew a nearly sleepless night could backfire on me??? It didn’t help that along with being nocturnal, my sporadic thoughts would keep me up, constantly switching to the prospect of my new job and most definitely my new boss.

* * *

**_July: Saturday 25th, 20XX (two days ago)~_ **

* * *

Similar to how I was reacting in the present, I was having a similar break down a mere three days ago. I was practically tearing my closet apart, flinging various articles of clothing out on to my already messy bed while frantically babbling out a combination of kind of English/(First language), swears, and hyperventilating.

"Oh God! Oh Shit! Oh Fuck! I have absolutely _nothing_ presentable to wear! All I have are a bunch of sundresses and old lady pants! What should I do?! What should I do?! WHY AREN'T YOU TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!?!?" I screamed up to the heavens, falling on my knees in despair. Familiar chuckles answered my wail, and I turned teary eyes at the source of the unsympathetic sound.

"Well I would, but it seems you're doing all the talking for me." A dryly amused female voice echoed out from my computer screen that was currently on FaceTime.

Meet Margot Colburn ladies and gentlemen! My black haired, blue eyed, glasses wearing best friend since my freshman year of high school and currently one of the two people who I have forced to sit through my panic attack.

"I hope you aren't this tense on your date. Men usually don't like sweaty company." Another voice drawled out, belonging to the oh so caring Chase Tremaine. He was a friend from college who was born with a unique combination of sea foam green eyes and watermelon pink hair.

I had called the two in a panic after the daze of yesterday’s events wore off. I couldn't help it! I'd suddenly been asked to dinner by a possible billionaire who I barely knew! Of course I was freaking out! I felt like I had just woken up in a Wattpad story for cripse sake!

"I...I-It's not a date!" I stuttered, holding up a blouse to my chest before wrinkling my nose at how it looked on me and flinging it across the room. "It's just a nice little thank you diner for saving his grandson's present. That’s all!"

"Oh really~?" I could practically hear the sarcastic smirk in Margot’s tone without even looking at the screen.

"Yes, _really~_!" I snapped going for a pair of pants next.

"Is this Mr. Billionaire Chris Evans hot or Channing Tatum hot?" Chase asked curiously and I sent him a stilted look.

"N...N-Neither! Er, I mean- he's definitely not ugly or anything but-"

"Think he's any good in bed?" Margot suddenly curve balled at me and I nearly tripped over my tennis shoes.

" _E…E-Excuse me?!?!?_ " I turned towards the screen in horrified dismay, only to be greeted by more hypothetical and increasingly disturbing questions and comments.

"I wonder how rich is he? Like, Bill Gates rich or Oprah Winfrey rich?"

"I heard Italian's are really good with their hands if you know what I mean~!"

"You should wear a spaghetti strap dress! You know how Italian's love their pasta."

"How big do you think he is? Six-Seven inches top?"

"Get him to buy you some expensive wine! You know the really expensive shit they hold in basements for over, like, 1000 years."

"Make him your sugar daddy! That way, you get money and a hot guy! It's a win/win situation!"

 _‘Oh my gondola…’_ There was only so much of their inappropriate banter I could take before my brain cells began to evaporate and I needed as much of those as I can if I wanted to hold a proper conversation with Mr. Julius!

"Okay, that’s it! Time out!! Stop sign!!! It’s time to put on, at least, a PG13 filter!” I snapped, looking at them with an exhaustion only they could leave me with. "Seriously, what is _wrong_ with you two?"

Margot and Chase simultaneously tilted their heads in curiosity. " _Huh~? What do you mean~?_ " They said at the same time. I could feel a vein pulse in my head. Those smug mofos…

"What I _mean_ is that I'm not going to take advantage of his kindness by making him buy me needlessly expensive stuff and I'm certainly not going to make him my s...s-sugar daddy." I gagged, particularly at the last part (while he was certainly a nice and charming man, I definitely wasn’t comfortable around him yet to follow my friends'..." _Advice_ "). "Look, I said this before and I'll say this again! This is not a date! This is just him...thanking me. Nothing romantic about it at all! Simply platonic!"

"Boo~!" Chase whined with a pout on his lips. "You're no fun (Nick-name)~!"

"I know! What are you twelve?” Margot grumbled as I rolled my eyes. “You're not even gonna make him buy you some caviar or something? Such a waste..."

"And you wonder why you're both single."

Margot gave a close eyed smile. "I believe in the phrase _"Hana yori Dango"._ What I can get from a man; I can also get from a cat, take out, and a vibrator."

"And you know me! If he isn't hotter than the sun, can't cook, dress well, or fuck like a rabbit in heat then it's bye bye~!" Chase supplied with a "What can you do shrug" and I groaned at their coarse responses.

"That's beside the point! What I need now is some real, _RATIONAL_ help at the moment as I have only forty minutes left before Mr. Julius comes and I haven't even picked out a freaking _BRA_ to wear yet!"

"You can always go commando~!" Chase sing-songed while Margot seemed to finally be considering my words.

"Well, I always thought you looked good in (f/c), so why don't you put on that one outfit you wore at Susana's party?" She suggested.

I took a moment to take in her words before nodding in agreement. "I guess so...it's my only safe bet as of right now..."

"And why don't you put your hair in that one style you liked. You know the cute one from Pinterest that we saw the other day?" Chase joined in, seeming to (thankfully) have his fill of fun for now. The three of us then spent the remaining time getting me ready and by the end of it, I was actually satisfied with how I looked.

"Ok. This is ok!" I sighed in relief while surveying myself in the mirror. "Nothing too gaudy or revealing; just nice and simple."

"Oh, you look like a doll~!" Chase cooed while Margot wiped a fake tear from her deep blue eyes.

"And here I thought you'd look like a homeless librarian for the rest of your life." I glared at her for the comment, but before I could retort, the doorbell to my apartment rang.

My bones practically jumped out of my skin as my nerves rocketed to dangerous levels. "Oh, shit- _hE'S HERE!!!_ " I whispered-shrieked at the two, heart feeling like it was trying to make a run for it out of the confines of my chest.

"Now honey, don't panic. Deep breaths now and don't ruin your makeup by sweating 'cause that's gross." Chase soothed in what he surely thought was a calming voice while Margot's eyes flashed behind her glasses.

"Remember, the goal is to either get inside his pants or get his money! Don't fuck up now, alright?"

Panic quickly switching to irritation, I slammed my lap top close, not even bothering to say goodbye to them. Those two were going to be the death of me, I swear.

I took a deep breath through my nose. _'Okay (F/n) old girl, don't pass out just yet...deep breaths...woosah~!...'_

I took one last exhale, before straightening up and walking towards my front door like a stiff legged soldier. I wasted no time in opening it while babbling out apologies for making Mr. Julius wait. "U...U-Um! Sorry for the wait Mr. Julius! I was just talking to some....to some..."

 _‘Nani the fuck…?’_ My words flatlined as I was greeted by what seemed to be a _bush_ of my favorite flowers in front of my face. The absurdly large bouquet was wrapped in (f/c) paper, pearls, and an elegant lace bow to top it off.

A face quickly popped from behind the bouquet and the charming grin of Mr. Julius beamed at me. " _Ciao Bella_ ~! _Come stai_?"

I couldn't find it in me to reply, still in awe at the massive bouquet of flowers in his hands. "Uh-" I coughed a little to clear my throat before trusting myself to speak without being too tongue tied. "Hi, Mr. Julius...I...I-I'm-uh, fine!"

" _Meraviglioso_!" He exclaimed, looking truly pleased at my response. "You look very beautiful tonight~!"

“Ah…thank you…” I blushed a little at the compliment as he handed me the large, yet beautiful bouquet as well as a box of what looked like very expensive gourmet chocolates.

"I hope you don't mind this little gift! I didn't know what to give you, so I just decided on this! I hope you like them!" He stated, and I could only look up at him in awe. 

"U-Uh! Yes, thank you! These happen to be my favorites! How did you-?"

"Ah, ah, ah~!" Mr. Julius tutted, putting a finger up to his mouth and giving a secretive wink. "That's a secret~!"

I blinked rapidly at his response before sweat dropping.

"Mr. Julius, with all due respect, that sounds _really_ suspicious and kinda creepy. And while we're on the subject, how did you know where I live?" I couldn't help but say, making him laugh as if I had told him a funny joke. _'I'm being serious though...'_

"Well since you look like you're ready, shall we be on our way?" He asked after calming down. I didn't know if he was purposefully avoiding my question or not, but I decided to put it aside for now...

"Uh, yes! Just let me..." I squeaked out before turning around to place my lavish gifts on my scratched-up coffee table (I couldn't help but flush embarrassedly at the thought of a high-class man like Mr. Julius seeing my crappy one bedroom/one-bathroom apartment). His large hand landed on my shoulder, making me jump and ' _eep_!' in shock. I turned towards him with a flustered and questioning look. Why did he stop me?

"Don't worry about that (F/n)! I'll have my men take care of that!" He stated simply, and I tilted my head in confusion. Men? What men was he talking abou….

Oh… _those_ men…

I nearly dropped the flowers and chocolates when I noticed how there were six big and burly looking men dressed in black suits and sunglasses standing behind Mr. Julius like an impenetrable wall of testosterone and muscle.

“ _Chesse and crackers in a Lunchable!_ ” I screamed in fright, nearly jumping out of my skin and straight to heaven at the sight of the men. Where in the flying fruity **_fuck_** did they come from?!

"Mr. Vargas," One of the guys with a buzz cut monotoned, statue still and only moving his mouth. "We have arrived."

"Ah! Bruno!" Mr. Julius laughed, giving the rock golem a pat on the back. "Right on time, _mio_ _amico_! Do you mind putting those flowers in a lovely crystal vase and straightening up her apartment for me?"

Bruno and the men nodded before walking into my apartment in a single file line. As they passed me, I practically glued myself to Mr. Julius’ side with a closeness I would've found inappropriately intimate if I weren't so terrified at the moment. He just laughed as Bruno stayed back to talk to him. "It'll be done before you get back sir. Mario's division will be taking care of you."

"Thank you Bruno, _Grazie_!" Mr. Julius chimed before gently leading me away from my apartment and down the stairs. "Well, let's be on our way _signorina_! We have reservations for _'Corso del Cielo'_ at 9:00!"

We got halfway down the steps when my brain suddenly jump-started itself back to life.

"W...W-Wait a minute!" I screamed, quickly turning and wildly beating my hands on his chest. "What on Earth do you think you're doing?! Those suspicious men are in my house, and I didn't lock it! I have a bunch of personal stuff in there and-"

Mr. Julius laughed, not even looking phased by my assault on him. "Don't worry about it _signorina_! Bruno and his division are very trustworthy men, they wouldn't steal or take anything from you!"

"That's not the problem Mr. Julius!" I continued, and he looked down at me curiously.

" _Eh?_ Then what's the matter?"

I lifted a finger, getting ready to give him a what for when I slowly realized that he kinda had a point. It's not like I had anything super valuable or expensive for them to take. My laptop was old and crappy, my phone was in my purse that I had hanging on my shoulder, and all I had of value to me was my group picture of my mom, siblings, and I at the foster home that we lived in and my cherished locket which I never took off.

"Well, U...U-Uh..." I stumbled and at the innocently curious expression on Mr. Julius' face, I couldn't help but deflate in exasperation. "It's the principal of the matter Mr. Julius! How would _you_ feel if random strangers came into your house and touched your things! What if they do something to my bed o...o-or look through my stuff?!"

As I explained my concerns, his face finally lit up in understanding. "Oh, is that what you're worried about? Don't worry (F/n), like I've said before Bruno is very trustworthy and wouldn't go through a lady's things!" He confidently reaffirmed. "Trust me when I say he is a very respectful man!"

I gave him a doubtful stare, not sure if I could believe him or not. At the honest smile he was giving me, however, I couldn't help but feel comforted a little bit.

"Besides!" He suddenly chimed, glowing with assurance. "I've been to bed with strangers plenty of times and nothing bad has happened to me yet!"

I felt myself turn to stone at his words, brain almost shutting down at the context of his statement. _‘Oh dear God he’s a himbo…’_

I barely noticed when the most defiantly, without a doubt perverse Mr. Julius led me towards his limo and guided me to sit on the cushy white leather seats. It took the slam of the car door to knock me out of my shock.

I nearly choked on my spit as the fancy car locked with an almost sentencing _'click'_ and I turned awkward eyes towards my oh so lovely host, who only looked at me with that damned charming smile of his.

 _'Oh, Virgin Mary, please save me and my virtue!'_ I cried eternally, looking out of the car windows woefully as the two of us began to drive off into the unknown.

* * *

_**Translations in order:** _

_**(Italian) Ciao Bella: Hello Beautiful  
(Italian) Come stai?: How are you?  
(Italian) Meraviglioso!: Wonderful!  
(Italian) Mio amico: My friend  
(Italian) Grazie!: Thank you!** _   
_**Thanks for Reading~!** _


	3. The Offer of a Life Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (F/n)'s dinner ends as well as you would expect. But she also gets the offer of a life time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**July: Monday 28th, 20XX~** _

* * *

When I was younger, my foster siblings and I would always go to the family room to watch T.V and often fought over who got to watch what. Whenever one of my brothers or sisters got control over the remote, they would always want to watch shows or movies having to do with cars or street racing like. My siblings would get super excited and hyped when watching them, and even I myself would get caught up in the adrenaline rush of seeing people do death defying feats and stunts in sport cars and what not. It was fun to watch and interesting yes, but I never thought of doing something like that or even entertained the thought of driving anything higher than a couple miles over the speed limit. I considered myself to be a pretty good and safe driver, obeying traffic laws while making a slip up here or there and California stopping when the temptation proved too powerful.

Now though, as I sped down the highway at break neck speed, merging lanes with pin point accuracy and drifting around curves and obstacles with enough proficiency to put Vin Diesel to shame, I realized that if I didn’t get the job at Hetalia Academy, I could at least turn to street racing as a back up...

My life was on the fast lane for sure, and I wondered if this was how my days were going to become from now on. It seemed like ever since I met Julius Vargas, my heart seemed to be always going a mile a minute for various reasons...

* * *

**_July: Sunday 27th, 20XX (the previous day)~_ **

* * *

Two people were walking down a street with shopping and grocery bags in their hands as they conversed with one another. These people were (F/n)’s two eccentric friends Chase and Margot, dressed in casual wear with laxed postures. They both walked with flare and confidence, but also seemed comfortable, as if taking a relaxing stroll.

"And then I said when we get outside imma knock every single bobby pin out of that fake ass synthetic weave of yours!” Chase regaled, arm bent in the air with his shopping bags swinging in the crook of his elbow.

Margot, who was walking besides him, hummed conversationally. Her black sunglasses were flashing in the sunlight that peaked through the clouds of the sky.

"And then!" Chased continued, flicking his pink dreadlocks out of his eyes. "She had the nerve to start yelling at me and I was like, no bitch, we’re not doing this _._ Some people are so childish, I swear.

"Hmph," Margot huffed, finishing taking a sip from her Green Tea Lemonade. "I know how you feel. The manager at my job? A _total_ bitch. She’s always telling us to do the work _she’s_ supposed to do and snapping at us for wasting time and not working, while she's over in the office watching _'Orange is the New Black'_ or some shit. I mean, what the fuck are they paying you for? To look pretty??? She should be broke as hell if that's the case."

"(N/n) was also telling me about how there's this new guy at the daycare she’s working at who is always calling off and making her work on her days off." Chase replied, quickly smacking his hand on Margot's shoulder while she tilted her glasses down her nose questioningly.

"Oh my God, are you serious? Ha, I’d like to see someone pull that crap with me. Though knowing her, she probably wouldn’t mind spending more time with those little brats. She’s like Mary Poppins incarnate.”

"Right~?!" Chase chuckled while looking at the street signs. "Speaking of (N/n), We're almost close to her apartment."

"How do you think her date with Robert De Niro went?" Margot asked with a smirk, knowing how she (with her rather modest minded mentality) would react to her words. She always took a special kind of joy in riling her up~!

"Well that's why we're going to her place now isn't it?" Chase returned, looking forward to questioning his dear friend on yesterday’s events. "I bet you a million dollars she was freaking out the whole time."

"Bet you a billion she tried to run away three to four times." She countered as the duo made it to the front of her apartment complex. The two-traded small banter (making guesses as to what happened on her totally-not-a-date with Julius) as they walked up the stairs to her room.

Margot knocked on the door, her three bracelets jangling a random tune.

"(N/n)~!" Chase sing-songed while rustling the bags in his possesion. "Your bestest friends in the whole wide world are here to comfort you in your time of need~!"

Margot also raised her bags, swinging them back and forth. "We got some of your favorite snacks! Don't ignore us now, because we can smell your fear..."

Silence was all that greeted them for a few moments before the telltale click of her doors' lock signaled her presence...

(F/n) slowly opened the door to her apartment with a zombie like groan, light spilling in and illuminating her haggard appearance.

Chase and Margot could only stare in Junji Ito-esque horror as they took in her bird's nest of a hair style, wrinkled night clothes, baggy, blood shot eyes, and the dark miasma she was emitting.

 _"...There is no (N/n)...only Zuul..."_ She grouched in a voice akin to Reagan McNeil in _"The Exorcist"_ before quickly slamming the door and encasing herself in blissful darkness. She reveled in the inky confines of her room, before shuffling a few steps away. She was halfway towards her bed before a sudden, loud _'BANG!'_ and assault of natural light stopped her in her tracks.

She flinched violently at her solar nemesis and fell to the ground in a crouch, hissing like a disturbed cat and glaring at the duo who stood in her doorway.

Chase seemed to be the one who had SWAT kicked the shit out of (F/n)’s door and both he and Margot looked as if they were staring at some kind of demon (not that anyone could blame them as her appearance practically screamed _"Possessed by Satan himself"_ )

Chase’s scream could have rivaled a little girl’s in a Haunted house as he took in her disturbed form, hands flailing in the air in fright. "Jesus _CHRIST!_ She looks worse in the light!"

Margot gave her a look of disgust from behind her sunglasses and covered her nose with a grimace. "And smells worse up close too."

(F/n) groaned in discomfort and clawed her way to her bed, cocooning herself in her sheets. "Stop gawking at me like I'm some kind of freak show and close the god damn door before you let flies in!"

"Oh, trust me," Margot snorted derisively, crossing her arms as Chase went to close the door. "With how you smell right now, even the flies wouldn't want to be near you."

She stuck her hand out from her cocoon to flip her off as Chase went to turn on the room's lights. The apartment was immediately bathed in a warm glow and her two friends froze at the sight of it, eyes widening in shock and awe.

Chase whistled in amazement while Margot put the grocery bags on her coffee table, admiring her living space. "Damn (N/n) what happened? Did Martha Stewart come in a hook you up or something?"

Instead of the modest and bare decor her small apartment once had, it was now dressed in furnishings worthy enough to be featured on the cover of a _"Better Homes and Gardens"_ magazine. Everything was upgraded with high class, designer furniture and appliances to the point where it didn’t even look like the same room anymore!

(F/n) groaned at the question before pulling the covers off of her face. She stared up at the ceiling with suffering eyes, but one could see the faint blush that tinted her cheeks.

"I...I-It was a gift..." She mumbled quietly as her two friends traded sneaky smirks with each other.

"Oh really~?" They chorused together, making her groan even more. She just _knew_ they were going to harass her until the end of the Earth!

"Was this little gift from Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome?" Margot teased as Chase placed a dainty hand on his cheek with a blissful sigh.

"You're so lucky (N/n)~! I think it's sexy when a man buys you a bed for you and him to break in together~!"

Her blushed deepened as she gave them an irritated glare. "It's not what you think dammit! Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"Bitch please, my mind is much too high maintenance to be in a gutter. I rather it be a room in the Venetian in Vegas~!" Chase quipped as he and Margot ripped the sheets from off of her, grabbed both of her arms, and pulled her out of the bed.

"W...W-What the hell?!" She yelled, immediately trying to break free. "What are you'd doing?! Let me go! Help! Stranger danger!"

"Oh, quit your bitchin’!" Margot demanded. "You, quite frankly, smell like shit so I think a post-sex shower would do you wonders don't you think?"

"How many times do I have to tell you?! I DIDN'T HAVE SEX WITH MR. JULIUS!!!" She screamed and subsequently cringed when her upstairs neighbor began to bang on her roof loudly.

"HEY! KEEP IT DOWN! CAN'T A MAN RECOVER FROM A HANGOVER IN PEACE?!" The angry man demanded as Chase cupped his hands over his mouth to amplify his voice.

"I'm sorry, but the occupant that you're trying to reach is not available right now! For help, please call 1-800-we-don't-give-a-fuck or visit our website, www.eatadick.com!"

As her up-stairs neighbor threw out a slew of rated R18 insults and curses, Margot gave her a questionably raised brow. "Okay, so if you guys didn't hook up, then what happened on your little not date?"

(F/n) froze slightly at her words, last night’s events coming back to her like a wave. She debated on if she should divulge further and sighed at the curious (read devious) stares of her friends and pouted as they dragged her to her bathroom.

"Fine..." She finally mumbled after a few moments of hesitation. "But it's going to be a looong story."

"Oh, trust me honey," Chase assured with a smirk that mirrored Margot's. "We have aaalll day."

Sighing once more at the inevitability, (F/n) took a deep breath and began to recount yesterday's misadventure...

* * *

**_July: Saturday 26th, 20XX~_ **

* * *

I couldn't remember a day in my life where I felt this nervous.

Giving a 10-minute presentation in front of my class? Nah.

Going to my first Job interview without any previous work experience? Nope.

Weighing myself on a scale after a three-day weekend, favorite show/junk food binge? Bitch-please.

Mr. Julius sat next to me with that dammed smile on his face, seeming to not realize my distress. He was humming a song to himself while cheerfully rummaging through a small fridge on his right.

I, on the other hand, were not so cheerful as I sat as far away from him as possible while nearly huddled into a ball. I was frantically thinking of a way to get out of this situation. I have seen plenty of crime shows to know that being locked in a car with a strange man that I barely knew did not bode well. I did _NOT_ want to be sold off to the black market!

Ok (F/n), _focus_! You can find some way to escape! Think back to all those episodes of _"Criminal Minds" and "Detective Conan"_ you’ve watched! I could chance jumping out of the car or I can just wait until we stop for gas or something and scream as loud as I can. What did that self-defense post on Tumblr say? Go for the feet, nuts, and chin, right?! Okay! Okay! You got this shit (F/n)! Just wait for the right oprotuni-'

"(F/n)?" Mr. Julius suddenly asked and any idea of a plan I could’ve scrounged vanished like smoke. Oh no, he was initiating _conversation_! I pressed myrself flush against the car door and gave him a nervous smile. "U...U-Uh! Yes...Mr. Ju...Julius?"

He smiled and held up a bottle of wine along with a fine, crystal glass. "Care for a small drink _Bella_?"

I blinked at the sudden offer before shaking my head. "Um...no thank you Mr. Julius...I'm not much of a drinker..." Besides what if it was drugged? _Or poisoned_?? _OR GROSS_???

"Oh really?" He asked while pouring himself a glass. "Please excuse me then. I just saw how tense you were and wanted to help calm you down a bit."

He then gave me a slightly hesitant look, hickory eyes adapting a concerned shine. "Did I perhaps...make you uncomfortable or nervous in anyway?"

 _'If you consider kidnapping me and locking me in your car to being uncomfortable, then sure.'_ I thought rather crossly, but I felt myself calm down minutely as Mr. Julius kept looking at me in worry. Seeing that, it made me feel kind of bad for jumping to such rash conclusions…

Ah, I honestly don’t know how to react anymore. He _seemed_ like a nice man and was very generous when concerning his "gifts" towards me. Hell, he's even taking me to a fancy ass diner! He was practically treating me like a princess...

I was still unsure of his intentions, but it wouldn't hurt to give him the benefit of the doubt, right...?

I sighed, closing my eyes and slumping in the comfortable seats. Gosh, why must socializing be so complicated and draining?!

"It's fine Mr. Julius," I muttered, feeling tired after all that pent-up adrenaline I had left me like air in a balloon. "I'm just a little...jumpy is all...I...I-It’s been a while since I’ve been alone with a man like this, so please forgive me if I feel a bit wary towards you..."

As soon as I finished talking, I felt my cheeks turn lobster red in embarrassment. Aw crap, I hadn’t meant to say that last part out loud! Why must I always babble like an idiot when I’m nervous? It’s moments like these that make it hard for me to talk to people, let alone try to form romantic relationships. Most of my dates in the past have ended in utter failure due to my nerves. For example, the last date I went on ended up with me puking on the guy’s shoes after I had gotten a stomach virus from eating some bad oysters. Another time I accidentally tripped the guy, causing him to fall off of the pier that we were at. Hell, there was even one time where I gave a dude my phone number, but I told him my _mom’s_ by mistake (she certainly got a laugh out of that one)!

You would think that after 30’s years of life, 12 of which that I have spent as an adult, I would learn how to stop being a train-wreck and keep my anxieties in check. God, now he must think I’m some kind of weirdo! Or maybe he's offended that I thought that of him?

I quickly look towards Mr. Julius in panic, intending to take back what I said, but I stopped at the loud and boisterous laughter that he let out.

"Hahaha! Well _Bella,_ I'm flattered that you see me as a man!" He boomed out before zooming towards me with a sparkly smile, putting his arm around my shoulder in a much too affectionate manner. "Tell me! Is it my sculpture like beauty that makes you nervous~? Or is it perhaps my great reputation that's known far and wide throughout the world that dazzles you~?"

I stared at him with wide, uncomprehending eyes before they narrowed in irritation as an angry vein popped from my head. _‘This dude…’_

"I'm sorry Mr. Julius, but could you repeat that?" I asked with a twitchy smile as I began to pinch the hand that was on my shoulder. "I couldn't quite hear you over your vanity."

Mr. Julius quickly withdrew his hand and began to blow on his painfully red bruise with teary eyes. If it had been any other situation, I would've been appalled by my manners and would immediately apologize, but right now I felt that a little pinch was a much better alternative to the punch I could've given him. Jeez, and to think I nearly worried myself to death about his feelings!

"Ah, (F/n)! Your coldness reminds me of a good friend of mine!" He cried dramatically, giving me a puppy dog look that almost made me feel guilty for what I did... _almost_. "You two would get along quite well!"

“Ha~ yeah, I’m sure…”

While Mr. Julius's words did irk me, I had a sneaking suspicion that he did so as to break the tension and calm me down. I felt much more relaxed after letting off some steam and the two of us managed to spend the car ride having a semi-casual conversation. We were just discussing what type of music that I liked when the limousine stopped with a smooth glide.

The pitch-black tinted window of the chauffeur’s seat rolled down and the driver regarded Mr. Julius respectfully. "We have arrived sir."

" _Perfetto_! Thank you Alberto!"

At the driver’s words, I unbuckled my seat belt and made to get out. Before I could, though, Mr. Julius stopped me before quickly hopping out of the car. Not a few moments later, he was opening my car door and holding out his hand to me.

I stared at his hand before giving him an unsure look. I couldn't help but feel my heart speed up a bit when he gave me a warm, encouraging smile, the lights of the restaurant behind him positively highlighting his handsome features. "What are you waiting for _Bella_? Take my hand~"

I stared at him for a few more moments before hesitantly reaching out, off-handedly appraising the firm, yet warm grasp that he had when I touched his hand. He swiftly pulled me from the limo and as soon as I stood outside, I couldn't help but gasp at the sight in front of me.

 _"Corso del Cielo"_ was the prime definition of a stereotypical fancy and elite restaurant. Not that I found this a bad thing of course, because it was quite a grand and beautiful place. I couldn't help but admire the West European architecture, royal red and gold attire, and overall romantic atmosphere it conveyed. It practically screamed "RICH!" to the Heaven's above.

I was so enraptured by the building, that I barely noticed when Mr. Julius was telling the limo driver something in Italian before waving him away with a friendly goodbye. When he was done with that, he turned back towards me and before chuckling at my awe-struck face and squeezing my hand.

"Shall we go then?" He asked, and I could only nod with a slight flush on my cheeks. I never imagined I would be having dinner at such a ritzy restaurant and not even the Oracle of Delphi herself could have predicted that I would dine at said restaurant with a man like Mr. Julius. It all felt so surreal, like a lucid dream...

The two of us walked to the entrance of the restaurant and two well-dressed men opened the doors to allow us to enter. After giving our thanks, the two of us continued until we came towards the front desk.

 _"Ciao!"_ The man at the front desk cheered with a rich, Italian accent. "May I have your last name please?"

"Vargas for two!" Mr. Julius replied, and the man's eyes shone with recognition at the name.

"Ah, Mr. Vargas!" He clapped with a large smile. "We've been expecting you and your lovely date this evening! Right this way please!"

I flushed at the word 'date' and began to lightly wave my hand back and forth in denial. "U...U-Um-wait! I'm not his-"

Mr. Julius laughed once again and took my hand, leading me to follow the maître D'. "I hope you're hungry _Bella_! The food here is some of the best I've ever had!"

I sighed at the futility of trying to correct the waiter and decided to let it go. I mean, it wasn't like the whole world was going to misunderstand right?

The three of us continued to walk through the lavish restaurant before walking up a flight of stairs. I couldn’t help but admire the ceiling that was painted to resemble the ceiling of the _Sistine Chapel_ as we passed.

 _'That must be where the "heaven" part of this restaurant comes from...'_ I thought before stopping at a door that the waiter had led us to.

"As requested Mr. Vargas," He intoned professionally, opening the door with a bow. "The VIP balcony."

A gust of the late August ocean breeze caressed my hair and clothes, but this was lost to me as I took in the almost unreal display in front of me.

We were on a stone balcony that overlooked the massive sea behind the restaurant. The water was dyed a smooth purple, warm yellow, mellow pink, and creamy orange by the sunset. It was like the background to the painting of a candlelight dinner with a pristine table set for two being set in the middle of it all.

"What do you think _Bella_?" Mr. Julius asked in a gentle tone and I could feel my lips lifting in a tender smile as I looked him in the eyes.

"It's beautiful, Mr. Julius..."

His smile could’ve lit up the whole balcony and I could feel my heart flutter erratically as he guided me towards the cushy chairs and pulled out mines so I could sit. Ah~ I don’t think I’m going to last much longer with all these gentlemanly acts. They were much too stimulating...

* * *

The dinner had, surprisingly and mercifully, gone on without me dying of embarrassment or shame.

Of course, there was the horrifying realization I had when I took one look at the menu that was filled with lavish food items and realized I had no idea what any of it meant. I also had no notion of the dinner etiquette that was to be expected in ritzy places such as this! Thankfully, Mr. Julius saved me from looking like a bumpkin in front of the waiter and had ordered for me. I didn’t mind of course, as I was the type who would probably eat anything with enough coaxing. I just hoped it wasn’t too avant-garde.

During this dinner, I had quickly learned that Mr. Julius was quite a...strange person...not that this was a surprise, but I wasn't sure of the extent of his eccentricity until now.

He was quite the goof and I had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. It may have sounded mean, but after he had told me a story about how when he was young, he was messing around with a _grenade_ and had managed to throw the _pin_ instead of the explosive, I felt that his status as a Himbo was well earned. I could only look at him in horror and awe as he laughed about someone named Alberich being very upset with him when he did that. Not only was I amazed that someone could be stupid enough to throw the pin to a grenade instead of the actual freakin' grenade, I was both curious and disturbed at the fact that he was messing around with the damn thing in the first place! Where did he even get one?! I was sorely tempted to ask him but managed to hold back. I wasn’t sure if my mental strength could withstand the answer.

I had also learned that when he wasn't being a goof or a gentleman, he was quite the shameless flirt. I had to hold myself back from violently lashing out in embarrassment when he would put on the ol' romantic charm such as touching my hand or dropping innuendos that my brain refused to interpret. It was my deeply ingrained sense of manners and tolerance from being around Chase and Margot that kept me from whacking him with my bag.

I would also take the fact that I could feel my resolve waver with every sappy pick up line he told me to my grave.

The next was that he was, unsurprisingly, very excitable and childlike for an apparent grandfather and would make animated gestures and movements when talking. It may have sounded like a stereotype, but it seemed the Italian in him not only made him great speaker, but an interesting one as well. It seemed he could make the instruction manual to a sewing machine sound like the most riveting story in the world.

And lastly, I had learned that Mr. Julius _adored_ kids, especially his three grand-children Feliciano, Lovino, and Romeo **(1)** as well as his Nephew **(2)** , Francis. He had enough pictures of them in his wallet to make a photo album and from the pictures he showed me, I couldn't blame him. Four of the cutest little girls I had ever seen wearing pink, green, orange, and blue dresses greeted my eyes and I couldn't help but squeal at the sight (though I could’ve sworn he said one of them was his nephew? Perhaps I heard him wrong). It may have been strange, talking about kids on a date, but I just couldn't help myself. I adored kids as well after all~!

"Aw~!" I sighed, sipping on my drink before placing my chin in my hands. “The kids at the daycare that I work at are super sweet and adorable as well! We’re helping them learn the alphabet, and they’re catching on quite quickly~"

Mr. Julius gave me a surprised look, putting down the spoon from his panna cotta. "You work at a daycare (F/n)?"

I nodded with a bright smile. "Yep! And when I’m not working there, I work part time as a substitute teacher~”

"Wow! You must be very good with children then." He praised, giving me an impressed look that made me flush.

"A…A-Ah, I guess so! It's mostly because I took care of my younger siblings a lot, so I’m used to dealing with kids. Plus I learned a lot about being a teacher from my mother..." I answered sheepishly while rubbing at the back of my neck.

" _Tua madre_?" Mr. Julius replied and I nodded, smiling softly as I thought of my foster mother and all the things she's done for me.

"She used to be a teacher and home schooled my siblings and I back when we were kids. Even when I entered middle school and high school, she still helped me with my homework and would take me through everything that I didn't understand. She did all that while raising all of us by herself and working at various schools. She was like a superhero to me and she inspired me to be just as amazing as her..." When I finished my explanation, I flushed and gave a nervous chuckle, internally cringing at my words. "That must've sounded really silly, huh? Becoming a teacher for such a mundane reason…"

"Not at all," Mr. Julius replied in earnest, leaning forward with a strange look in his eyes. He had been silent the whole time I spoke and seemed to be in deep thought as he listened to my story. "I think it's admirable that you have such a strong dream. Your mother sounds like a wonderful woman."

I could feel my face burn as I mumbled out a frazzled thank you. I jumped a little when he reached out and grasped both of my hands. I hadn't minded much the other times he did it, but now I felt much more conscious at his touch.

"(F/n)," He implored with a serious look, the first one I had seen on his face since I met him. "I know this is sudden, but I have something to ask you."

I could’ve sworn my heartbeat was hooked up to a stereo with how loud it was beating. When had the mood go from casual to intimate like this?!

"U...U-Uh, yeah...sure." I mumbled, hyper aware of his touch and struggling under his intense stare that was coming closer and closer to my face.

"Would you..." He began, mere inches from me. I gulped and waited with bated breath, mind running with all the possible things he was going to ask me.

Many of my thoughts ranged from plausible to downright improbable, but what he had said next was something that never even crossed my mind. Mr. Julius opened his mouth, and finally spoke the anticipated words.

_"Would you like to work for me as a teacher at my school?"_

It was dead quiet on the balcony and the only thing that could be heard was the loud crash of the waves below us. I stared at him with a blank expression, as if someone pressed pause on my body. I blinked a few times and tilted your head questioningly.

"Huh?"

Mr. Julius gave me a wide grin, eyes brimming with an earnest plea. "Would you like to become a teacher and work for my school?" He repeated and still, the words sounded foreign to my ears.

I stared at him, feeling confused and...a bit disappointed. Disappointed for what, I didn't know, but I felt a little put out by the anticlimactic statement. I was expecting something with a little more...spark? Passion? I don’t know, it was hard to explain...

...

Wait a minute…did he just say his **_schoOL?!!??!_**

"YOU OWN A SCHOOL?!" I cried out in pure astonishment, feeling blown away at the revelation. Then another realization hit me on the head like a bat, causing me to stand up and practically knock my chair to the side. "AND DID YOU JUST OFFER ME A FREAKIN' _JOB_?!"

Mr. Julius looked shocked at my outburst and at any other moment in my life, I would've been violently embarrassed by my actions. However, this wasn’t any other moment of my life and I frankly couldn’t give a damn.

This dude right here, the absolute _mad man_ , had given me two thousand dollars, had his bodyguards clean my house up, took me to a beautiful and delicious VIP candlelight dinner near the sea, and now decided to offer me a job on the side all within two freakin’ days?! Did lady luck finally decide to shine her beautiful grace upon me or was I in some kind of cruel dream?!

Mr. Julius nodded, giving me a bemused smile. "That's right! I thought you knew when I gave you my business card?"

"I...I-I," I stammered, trying to get my wits about me. "All it said was your name and phone number! It didn't say anything about your job!"

He looked confused for a moment before chuckling sardonically at himself. "Ah~! Sorry about that _Bella_! I must've given you my other business card instead of my school one. I have a lot you see."

He began to rummage through his suit pocket before he _"Aha'd"_ in triumph and pulled out a different card and handing it to me. I took the little card with a slight tremble and observed it closer.

It was a white card with splashes of bright color on it. A symbol that I could only describe as similar looking to the Golden Snitch from _"Harry Potter"_ stood behind bolded red letters that spelled out "Hetalia Academy" with a floral zeal. I numbly turned the card around to find more information. Mr. Julius' name, numbers, emails, and occupation were spelled out in neat print, my eyes devouring the words that seemed to jump out at me.

_Julius Vargas_

**_Principal and Headmaster of Hetalia Academy_ **

"H...H-Hetalia Academy... ** _THE_** Hetalia Academy?!" I whispered from numb lips, absently noting the pleasantly surprised look on his face. No wonder his name sounded so familiar! How could I not have realized it sooner?! I had heard it so many times on T.V, the Internet, and other Media that everyone and their mother knew it!

"Oh! So, you've heard of it?" He asked conversationally, as if he was discussing an obscure book series rather than one of the most well-known and famous schools on the _planet_.

"H...H-Have I heard of it?" I asked incredulously, slamming my hands on the table and honing my face close to his with an enriched and passionate smile. "Who the hell hasn't heard it?! Hetalia Academy is one of the most well-known and prestigious schools in the world! It's elite and effective teaching methods as well as state of the ark technology and supplies have given rise to some of the greatest minds of the generation! Oh~! It'd be any schoolteacher’s dream to work there!"

I sighed in pure bliss, twirling around in giddy circles as I was caught up in my thoughts. While it may have seemed like I were overreacting to anyone else, to me it was like a dream come true! It was akin to an animator or artist being accepted to work in Disney or to study in the IA institute! Like an athlete joining his favorite team! An actor being cast in a hit movie! An aspiring dancer on Broadway! A singer signing up with a hit music company! It was comparable to the fantasy goal everyone had when they find their calling! Their purpose!! Their aspiration!!!

The thought of this wonderful school and the benefits it had almost had me flying to the moon with joy! And the man who owned this very dream was sitting right in front of me, offering it to me with a charming, handsome smile. I smiled softly at the thought, before I began to sober up as reality started to take over.

"Oh, Mr. Julius I would love to be able to teach there...but...but I don't think I'd be able to..."

Mr. Julius, who seemed to be in a trance from my soliloquy of praise, perked up at my words and stood in surprise. " _Che cosa?!_ Why do you say that (F/n)?"

I looked at him with a longing, yet resigned grin. “Well first off, I don't have any major credentials and second off I don't think I'd fit in with such an amazing place. It would be my first time officially teaching as well! I’ve only worked as a substitute and daycares…"

I was sure that there were plenty of more qualified people for the job than me. I had heard that the staff at the school was just as amazing as the establishment itself. All with PHDs and awards to show that they were the best at what they did. With a simple bachelor’s holder like me there, I’d surely look unqualified...

Mr. Julius gave me a strange look before he walked towards me and grabbed both of me shoulders, making me look up at him with curious eyes. The serious expression was back on his face and I found myself once more in awe at the fact that this was the man who owned such an impressive school. With his goofy attitude, no one could’ve ever placed the two together. However, as he gazed down at me with such serious eyes, I could now believe it.

When Mr. Julius opened his mouth, I expected him to say something inspiring or insightful, maybe something that showed off the intelligence he used to build and run a whole Academy. Instead, all I got was-

"Did you get any of the spaghetti bolognese on you?"

Once again, he has left me speechless. I was unsure of what to say in response to the completely out of nowhere question. This whole night had just been a whiplash of heightened emotion and it truly must've taken effect on me as instead of questioning his words, I answered him after having a quick look at myself.

"Uh...no, I don't think so. Why?"

Face still set in a determined look, Mr. Julius continued. "Because you look _aPASTAlutely_ ravishing in that outfit."

The waves beside us crash with impeccable timing, the pale light from the moon shining down on us like a stage's spotlight. I looked up at him with awe inspired eyes and he with practically sparking ones as a warm wind softly dusted past us. Without breaking eye contact, I slowly reached my hand down towards the table, grabbed an empty bottle of wine (that he practically inhaled sometime earlier), and proceeded to swing it into his head as hard as I could.

Julius practically flew from the impact and it was thanks to lady luck herself that the balcony's railing had kept him from falling into the water below. Swirls replaced his's fetching brown eyes as he laid there in a star-struck daze, little birds and stars circling his head like a halo.

" _Ah~!_ _Guarda gli uccelli belli_ ~!" He slurred with a goofy smile. I, on the other hand, stared blankly at the bottle of wine in my hand while the other was placed on my head to stave off my oncoming migraine.

"That pick-up line was so bad that I subconsciously had to hit him..." I mumbled to myself in genuine disbelief. I never had such a violent reaction to a pun before in my life, but the way he said just seemed to set me off. It was as if he triggered a tick or pressed a button that controlled an instinctual defense mechanism in me!

"A...A-ah~! My, my _Bella!_ You sure do have a lot of power under that pretty face of yours." Julius chuckled, rubbing his bruised cheek. I turned towards him and scowled, placing me hands on my hips. 

"And _you_ sure do have a way of not reading the mood! We could've had something nice and sweet going on, but you just had to go for the comedic relief, didn't you?!" I scolded, getting a sparkling grin from him as he placed his hand under his chin, finger making an "L" shape and giving him a cocky appearance.

"Heh! _La Donna_ love a man with a sense of humor, don't they~?"

I looked down at him dark eyes, making sure the shadows highlighted my face with enough intimidation to send a chill down his spine. " _La Donna_ also love to revel in the pain and misery of others, but you don't see us trying to fulfill that by hurting everyone we see, now do we?"

 _'She says after she hit me in the face with a wine bottle...'_ I thought I heard him mumble something with a pout, but he quickly denied saying anything when I asked him to repeat himself.

"Anyway, that should settle it!" Mr. Julius announced, standing up and brushing the dust from his suit.

 _‘Oh god, what now?’_ I looked at him curiously, irritation fading a little at his words. "What do you mean?"

He gave me a large grin, as if those words alone should've made enough sense. "You claimed that you didn't think you had what it takes to work at my Academy, but I think a woman who is capable of knocking a man out is more than qualified to work there!"

"...Mr. Julius, what on Earth does that have to do with teaching...?" I mumbled, sweat dropping at his reasoning.

"It has everything to do with teaching! We need tough, capable people who can be able to handle and control 20+ hyperactive children. You have that and your license! Problem solved!" He explained, raising his hands in the air like he had it all figured out. I, on the other hand, weren't really sure.

A part of me was practically singing in joy at the fact that I could work at Hetalia Academy and fulfill my dream. Another part of me, though, was panicking at the possibility of failing at my job and disappointing everyone because of my lack of skill. Just the possibility of letting so many people down; the children I would teach, their parents who entrusted them to me, the other teachers for bringing their reputation down, Mr. Julius who (for some reason) had such high hopes for me, my foster mother who always claimed that I would do big things in life. It may have been my anxiety messing with my already overactive imagination, but I always had this innate fear of disappointing the people around me because of my careless actions for as long as I could remember. Could I really trust myself to take on such a big task like this?

"Why...do you want me to work for you so badly?" I asked, genuinely curious. Mr. Julius's goofy smile sobered to a knowing, kind one that was already putting me at ease. He had the kind of charisma that could calm anyone down. It was like standing next to a leader who had all the answers.

"(F/n)," He began, my name sounding as if it was cushioned in a sense of comfort and encouragement. "I know for a fact that you are more than qualified to be a teacher at my school and this whole night only sealed the deal. Your open honesty, the fact that you really _look_ at people when you’re talking to someone or listening, your passion for teaching, your knowledge, the fact that you're kind, yet can be stern when need be. Kids aren't stupid, they see the world just as we do, only from a more curious point of view. They're more observant than anything, so I'm sure they will be able to see the open friendliness and compassion that you possess. Believe me when I say that you _are_ capable of teaching at Hetalia Academy, and that I truly want you to work for me..."

Mr. Julius finished his speech with a raise of his hand and an encouraging look. "So, will you accept my offer?" He finished, hand stretched out and waiting for a response.

I stood there in absolute astonishment, unable to believe that I would hear such a positive description about myself. I had heard similar encouragements from my family and friends all the time, but I always thought they said those things just because they knew and loved me, not wanting to hurt my feelings.

Now, I didn't think that I was completely useless and pathetic. In fact, I had a lot of confidence when it came to the things I loved or were interested in. It was just the fact that I always believed that there was someone out there in the world who was just better at it than me. Someone who worked harder than me and deserved it more than I did...

Now though, when said by Mr. Julius, it didn't sound like the nice words of a person trying to not hurt my feelings out of familial love. Instead, it sounded like the honesty of a man who wanted to hire someone that he saw fit for the job.

I felt light, warm, and airy; a tingling sensation that was running through my body like millions of tiny bubbles were tickling me. With a strange feeling of confidence, (it wasn't a new feeling per se, just more...elevated and prominent, like an already valuable diamond shined and polished enough to add a few extra zeros to its already impressive price) I slowly reached out my hand and grasped his with a firm shake. If Mr. Julius was so sure of my capabilities, then who was I to try and tell him otherwise?

"I'll do it." I answered, liking how nice I felt after doing so. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I thought?

Mr. Julius looked elated at my answer before pulling me over and giving me a one-armed hug. I blushed at his close proximity but decided not to raise much of a ruckus. I had heard Italians were a touchy group of people, so I might as well get used to it as he _was_ going to be my boss (that is, as long as he didn't get _too_ handsy. I had boundaries after all, and I was determined to keep them!).

"This a great _Bella! Meravigliosa!_ I'll expect to see you ready to teach in two days’ time!"

I could feel myself turn to stone at his words, jerkily looking up to Mr. Julius to see if he was joking, only to see that he was most certainly _not_.

 _"W...W-WHAT?!"_ I cried, panicked at the short notice preparation time. Two _days_?! Was he serious?!

Mr. Julius laughed some more and began to pat my back (though he was patting a little _too_ close to a certain area). "Welcome to the Hetalia _Famiglia~!_ "

I watched him laugh; his chuckles echoing in our little space and filled with a carefree, bordering irresponsible gale.

I take back what I said. This whole thing was going to be an absolute _train wreck_.

* * *

I waved goodbye to Mr. Julius from in front of my apartment door and he waved back before his limo drove away. I let out a tired sigh as all the fatigue from my spent emotional energy left me feeling completely dead. I sleepily pulled out my keys and opened with a soundless creek (that’s odd. It usually made a lot of noise than that). I turned on the lights, absent-mindedly remembering how Mr. Julius had those guys straighten up my apartment so maybe they oiled the do-

I froze in my tracks as the sight before me registered in my sluggish mind. For a good few moments, I was positive that I had entered the wrong room. I checked outside to see that yes, this _was_ the correct room as shown by the familiar door number plate.

I was amazed to see my rather plain apartment had turned into room display from _"Ikea"._ High class furniture replaced my old, worn ones and fabrics looked to be made of expensive material from $1000 silkworms and sheep bread in Dubai covered and layered the room. Everything was organized and designed to fit my taste to the "T", from the color to the posters, paintings, and knick-knacks that gave it an extra touch. The freakin' _carpet_ was changed and even the cracks in my walls and ceiling were spackled with enough proficiency that it looked as if there were no blemishes to begin with.

I closed my door and made my way to my new couch in a daze, plopping and sinking into the comfy seat. I stared blankly at my new _flat screen television_ before my eyes settled on the bouquet of flowers Mr. Julius had got me hours ago that sat in a beautiful glass vase on my new coffee table. I noticed something sticking out of the bushel of flowers and reached over to take it out, revealing it to be a card.

_I hope you enjoy my little gift! It isn't much but take it as a thank you gift for coming to dinner with me!_

_Sweet dreams~!_

_-Julius_

I stared at the card blankly for a few more moments before flopping on to the sofa sideways. " _...Oh my God.._."

* * *

**_~Flashback end~_ **

* * *

(F/n) sighed, taking a big gulp of her favorite drink. All that talking had made her throat dry and she was glad it was over. Didn't need to get a sore throat before going to the meeting, now did she?

Margot, Chase, and her were sitting on her new sofa as she had been telling the story for almost an hour now. Her two friends looked astonished at her tale and she couldn't help but agree with their shock. The whole thing sounded even more absurd and fantastical when she said it out loud.

"Okay," Margot began, taking a big gulp of her sangria that she had made in her refurnished kitchenette. "So you're telling me that you had a candle light dinner on a balcony near the beach at an expensive restaurant with a hot Italian billionaire who not only gave you two thousand dollars, flowers, and chocolates that cost more than my car note, but also offered you a $55,000 a _week_ job at one of the top ten best schools in the world and redesigned your apartment free of charge?"

"That's right..." She simply answered, taking another sip of her drink.

Her two friends stared at her blankly for a few moments. _"...Does he have a brother?"_

(F/n) threw a pillow at them, successfully hitting Chase in the face and missing Margot who dodged just in time.

Sometimes, she wondered if she was the only sane person on this planet?

* * *

**_~Present time~_ **

* * *

Yes, I asked myself such questions on a regular day basis. It was something I've grown accustomed to doing since I was a kid. I would've dwelled more on my situation, but now wasn't the time! After turning a normal two-hour drive into a frantic 45 minute one that involved many illegal acts, I had finally made it to my destination.

I stared up at the grand gate of Hetalia Academy with my heart feeling like a hummingbird’s flapping wing. This was it, the place where my dream would be fulfilled. Today was going to be the start to my new life...

Filled with an anxious hope, I prayed that Murphy's law would back the fuck up and leave me alone for just this once...

...Heh, yeah...that's a funny joke. Never heard that one before.

Let's get to work, shall we?

* * *

_**(1): Romeo is Seborga! Surprised I remembered him ain't ya???** _

_**(2): Alright, so this was a mistake on my part. I had forgotten that in the show, France is technically Italy's brother and therefore, also Rome's grandchild. Now for what I have planned for this story, I had to change around a lot of things, particularly the familial relationships the nations have with each other as well as their ages so he's his Nephew instead! I'll go more into depth with this in a few chapters, so don't worry!** _

_**Translations in order:** _

_**(Italian) Bella: Beautiful  
(Italian) Perfetto: Perfect  
(Italian) Tua madre?: Your mother?  
(Italian) Che cosa?!: What?!  
(Italian) Guarda gli uccelli belli~!: Look at the beautiful birds~!  
(Italian) La Donna: The Ladies  
(Italian) Meravigliosa: Wonderful  
(Italian) Famiglia: Family** _

_**Thanks for Reading~!** _


	4. Secrets and Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which (F/n) goes in for a job interview and comes out of a war zone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**July: Monday 28th, 20XX~** _

* * *

I thanked every known and unknown diety for the fact that the school wasn't very far away from my own apartment. A mere two hours away from the city I lived in, a whole other metropolis lay as if it were Olympus itself.

Hetalia Academy was a k-12-year school roughly the size of _Disneyland_ and outfitted with state of the ark facilities and technology that would put Ivy colleges to shame! Since so many students went here, (around 44,000 if I remembered correctly) they made sure to give them enough leg room and beyond. 

I, once again, couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful school as I pulled up to the teacher parking lot that the nice security guard at the gate pointed me out to. Quickly finding a spot, I turned off my car, grabbed my bag, and hopped out with a nervous pep in my step.

I stared up at the grand building, the opportunity of becoming a full-time teacher like I always dreamed of sending my heart a fluttering. For just a second, I could feel some of the usual self-doubt creep up on me, but I hastily squashed the feeling down with a confident stomp. Now wasn't the time for cold feet! I had to make sure to become a teacher worth their salt!

Energized by the inspiring thoughts of not letting anyone down, I squared my shoulders and began to march towards the building, akin to a soldier who moved in deliberately exaggerated, yet robotic movements.

I walked past a crystal-clear fountain pool and towards the bottom entrance of the school. Before I could reach out to open the door, it opened on its own as a doorman greeted me with a cheerful smile.

 _‘Whoa, it’s like being in a high-class hotel…’_ I made sure to return the greeting with my own before walking in, admiring my surroundings in awe. The inside was just as impressive as the outside! True to the headmaster’s origins, the building was decorated in a modern style with a European flair that screamed _"elegance", "sophistication"_ and _"maturity"._

My shoes echoed off of the red marble flooring that was flecked with gold as I made my way to a desk that was large enough to accommodate the three young women who sat at it, gossiping with each other. I noted the unique style of the women, their bright clothing and trendy fashion sense making them stand out a lot. The one on the left had short, messy black hair with green eyes and green clothing, the one in the middle had waist-length red hair put up into a ponytail with pink eyes matching clothing, and the one on the right had blonde pigtails with blue eyes and similar clothing. Even their glasses, which they all wore, looked more fashionable than I could ever be.

"-and then," Said the red-haired woman, twirling a pink pencil in her hand with an annoyed grimace on her face. "Even after I told him to screw off, he just wouldn't go away! He was like some kind of gross tick who wouldn't leave me alone!"

The black hair woman looked up from tending to her black painted nails to give her counterpart a curious look. "Well, did you beat the shit out of him or did he take the hint and fuck off?"

"Ugh, I wish I did punch his lights out, would've saved me a lot of trouble." Grumbled the red head as the blonde gazed at her phone with an adoring smile.

"Ah~! Don't you think that these shoes would go great with this top~?" She asked, showing her screen to the other two who returned her look with a blank one.

"And once again, she's in her own little world..." The red head mumbled while the brunette scoffed and went back to painting her nails. "No surprise there..."

Seeing an opening to get the women’s' attention now that their conversation was over, I quickly stepped towards them. “Um…hello?”

Thankfully, my meek greeting succeeded in getting their attention as they stopped what they were doing, looked at me, and settled into straight back, professional positions with dazzling smiles on their faces. 

"Welcome to Hetalia Academy Miss, how may we help you~?" They spoke at the same time, catching me off guard as they seemed to snap from chill mode to work mode in a drop of a hat. I gaped at them for a few moments before coming to my senses and giving an awkward cough. 

"E-er, ah yes, um...Hi, I'm (Full Name) and…I believe I have a meeting for a teaching position here." I offered with a small smile as the womens' model worthy expressions turned to ones of curiosity. "I was um, wondering if any of you could tell me where the Headmaster’s office was so I could speak with him?"

I gauged their reactions to my request, hoping that I wasn’t bothering them and what not. I had gotten a lot of troublesome questions and requests from parents at the daycare that drained me, so I didn't want to be _"That"_ guy. 

I expected them to be annoyed, but were pleasantly surprised (and mostly freaked out) to see their looks turn almost predatory with desire as they moved their spiny chairs in a semi-circle and began to frantically play what looked like an intense game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors". The three went at it for five rounds until finally, the red head won, her scissors beating their paper. She gave out a cry of triumph while the other two wailed in despair. The three women then went back into their original spots, sparkly smiles on full blast and acting as if they didn't just play a demented version of a children’s game. All this happened in the span of five seconds and I was so thrown off that I was almost sure that it didn't even happen in the first place.

"You're here to see Mr. Vargas and Mr. Beilschmidt, right? I'll take you to their office." The red head announced, standing up from her chair and motioning for me to follow. I didn’t move for a moment, not really trusting the woman after what I had seen, but I managed to convince myself that she knew the layout of the building much better than I and therefore, wouldn't get lost like I was sure to do. If she did something strange again, I would just…run for my life or something! Yeah, that sounded like a solid proof plan~

So, I followed the pink clad woman, absently mindedly listening to the sullen grumbles of her equally colorful friends behind us.

"Um..." I cleared my throat a little as the woman led me through a grand, arching hallway with large windows that let in the early morning sunlight. "Thank you, Miss...?"

"The name's Azalea honey!" She answered happily, long orange ponytail swishing with her every move. "Azalea Gardner, but you can just call me "Lea" if you want!"

I smiled at the woman's cheerful nature before nodding. She seemed to be quite nice when she wasn't playing demonic children’s games. "Ah, yes! Thank you Lea, I really appreciate you showing me the way. You and those two women did seem rather...busy..."

Azalea waved a dismissive hand while blowing a small raspberry. "Phhbt~! Hun don't sweat it! It's nice to get to stretch your legs after sitting around, taking calls and stamping." She scoffed before sending me a closed eyed smile, holding up a peace sign. "Also, FYI, those two women were actually my sisters~! We're triplets, so don't let the hair and eye colors fool you!"

"Wow, really?!" I don’t think I’ve ever seen triplets in person before. Now that I think back, they did sort of look-alike...perhaps they’re fraternal?

"That's right~!" She sing-songed, waving her pointer finger in a swirly pattern in the air. "The one with black hair, who's the middle child, is named Clover and the blonde's name is Iris who's the youngest. I'm the oldest by the way, so I have seniority~!"

“I see…” I chuckled a little at her words, finding Azalea’s presence to be more and more enjoyable the longer we talked. 

"Enough about me though!" She stated, clapping her hands together and pointing them at me. "Let's talk more about you! I'm assuming you're the potential new teacher Mr. Vargas was talking about, right?"

"H…H-Huh?! Mr. Julius…was talking about me?" I was a little flustered at the fact. Just what on Earth could he have told these people? Knowing him, he probably made me sounds like some bipolar gorilla woman who hits people with wine bottles!

Azalea nodded with a closed eyed grin on her face. "Uh huh! He was going on and on about an amazing _"Bella signora"_ who was going to start working here. The whole staff was shocked 'cause we don't usually get a lot of staff transferring in so late! Mr. Beilschmidt was practically blue in the face when he heard Mr. Vargas suddenly hired someone without consulting him first!"

I blinked at her rapid pace explanation, before grimacing. I knew such a spontaneous hiring would cause a lot of problems for the school and the idea of inconveniencing so many people made my chest thrum with guilt.

"U…U-Um!" I mumbled with an apologetic expression. "I'm...sorry for being such a bother. I didn't mean to cause you all so much trouble..."

Azalea looked surprised for a moment before bursting out in loud laughter, waving a perfectly manicured hand in rapid dismissal. "Oh hun, you're so cute!"

I looked back up at her, confusion now blending in with the guilt. I’m…not sure why or how my words made me "cute", but I don’t think it was meant to offend me. Still, it was weird being called cute by someone who was clearly younger than me, even if by a few years.

"Trust me (F/n), Mr. Vargas does this _aaalll_ the time." She reassured, giggles still slipping past her red painted lips every now and then. "The staff here have learned to always anticipate his sudden ideas and actions! Like one time, when he suddenly decided to cancel class for the whole school and hold a campus wide capture the flag game that involved water guns!"

I sweat dropped at the story. That did sound like something Mr. Julius would do and by what I've learned about Mr. Beilschmidt, he was probably not happy about that. Speaking of which...

"Hey Azalea, do you mind telling me who Mr. Beilschmidt exactly is? You and Mr. Julius had mentioned him before..."

"Ah~!♡" She chirped, placing her hands bashfully on her flushed face. I couldn't help but be reminded of a love-struck schoolgirl as she swiveled back and forth, metaphorical hearts fluttering around her like butterflies. "Mr. Vargas probably didn't tell you about him huh~? Mr. Beilschmidt is the vice-principal of Hetalia Academy! From what I've heard, he and Mr. Julius have known each other since they were kids!"

I nodded, gathering that the "Alberich" Mr. Julius mentioned at dinner two days ago must've been Mr. Beilschmidt. From the stories he had told me, he seemed like quite the stern and methodical man. Oh, I’m already feeling intimidated at the thought of meeting such a person! I know I shouldn't judge someone when I haven't met them, but it was in my nature to be overly anxious about things, especially under stress!

"I...Is Mr. Beilschmidt...nice?" I hazard and Azalea giggled in response.

"Nice wouldn't be an appropriate way to describe him. I'd say he's very determined and hardworking! He does have a kind heart though, especially towards the students, even if he shows it in a "tough love" way. He's also _suuuuper_ handsome! When me and my sisters first saw him for our interview, my ovaries practically exploded! That German accent of his is just so sexy and don’t even get me started on his eyes~♡”

Azalea looked like she could go on about Mr. Beilschmidt for hours and still finds things about him to talk about. I couldn't help but laugh in an exasperated kind of way (I guess that explained why she and her sisters were so determined to be the one to take me to the office).

"So you have nothing to worry about~!" She finished after her long-winded description. "Just go in and put those manners to good use!"

I nodded and gave her a grateful smile. Her excitable nature, while a tad overwhelming, really helped at keeping my mind off of what could be the most intense job interview I've ever had!

The two of us talked some more, going up a few flights of stairs before making it on the sixth floor. Man, this place was _huge_! You could probably fit the daycare that I worked at in the hallways alone! Money truly makes a difference, huh?

"We're almost there~!" Azalea cried in excitement, practically skipping up the steps in her haste to see the supposedly drop-dead gorgeous man. I chuckled at her actions, picking up my pace to catch up with her. When the two of us made it to the floor, I was greeted with the same Roman-esque decored halls like all the rest. I was surprised, though, to see another person in the hall, walking with his hands in his pockets and singing to himself in what sounded like French. The three of us stopped at the sight of each other and I soon began to take in the man's appearance.

He was a tall and lean man with messy, medium length blond hair. His eyes were a pretty sea green color and he was quite the looker to boot! As I wondered about the identity of the guy, his eyes sparkled like stars and his cat shaped mouth formed an ecstatic smile.

"Azalea, _mon amour!_ " He cried happily, his masculine voice holding a childish tint and adding to his carefree look. He withdrew his hands from his pockets and shot them into the air, quickly rushing towards the two of us as hearts danced around him like fairies, similar to how Azalea looked earlier. "It's been so long since I've seen you!"

I looked over towards my potential co-worker, expecting her to look just as excited to see him as he was her (perhaps he was a good friend or even a boyfriend?). Instead, I flinched back at the practically murderous expression on her face as she glared down the other with a burning intensity. An almost palatable hate was coming off of her in waves and I could practically see fire roaring in her pink eyes. The man seemed oblivious to this, however, and I was sorely tempted to warn the him about his impending doom.

" _Viens ma belle fleur!_ Give me a hu-"

I wasn’t really sure what happened in that moment. One moment he’s happily running towards Azalea, the next he had a pencil embedded into his forehead, releasing a spurt of blood moments after. He flew backwards from the force of the impact, still smiling with his hands out for a hug.

"Oi! Don't come near me you damn pervert!" Azalea hissed like a disturbed cat as I looked on in the scene in absolute horror. D...D-Did she just murder that man?! With a **_pencil?!_** What was she, John freakin’ Wick???

As the idea of becoming a witness to a possible murder began to dawn on me, the man flipped around in the air multiple times, landed perfectly on his feet, and stood back up, the love-struck cat smile still managing to stay on his face.

“Holy fuck- _HE’S A ZOMBIE!_ ” I shrieked while Azalea just bared her teeth at him.

“He isn’t a zombie, just an _idiot_!”

"Ah, _ma cherie!_ Your love still manages to make my heart skip a beat!” The man swooned, “Did you truly miss me as much as I've missed you?!"

" _HELL NO!_ " She snapped as I looked at him incredulously. Did the pencil hit something in his brain or was he really just an idiot like Azalea said? In what _universe_ does stabbing someone in the forehead resemble love??!?!?

The man only laughed some more and began to make his way over again. Azalea clicked her tongue is distaste, muttering dark things under her breath before turning to me.

"Sorry about this (F/n), but I have to leave! I left my taser in my purse at my desk and the only thing that can knock him out is 10 mega volts. Mr. Beilschmidt's office is four doors down, you can't miss it!"

I only nodded dumbly at her words, watching as she turned to the stairs and bolted down them like a hell cat. The man was close behind her, calling for the woman to wait up to which she replied with curses and swears. I could hear their voices get more and more faint every second until all was silent again.

“What…the hell just happened?” Even asking myself out loud yielded me no answers. Perhaps one of the requirements to work at this school was to be eccentric? Honestly with Mr. Julius, the Gardner triplets, and the mysterious cat Frenchman, I could only _imagine_ how weird Mr. Beilschmidt could be…

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and began to walk down the hall, footsteps now echoing in the silent area. I soon made it to an imposing, double mahogany wood door. A gold platted plaque sat above the doors mantle, spelling out the words _"Headmasters' Office"_ in black, etched cursive.

Now that I was alone, I could feel my old nemesis anxiety start sneaking up for another visit. I could have probably stood there for hours, having a break down while imagining the possible terrors that was held behind these doors. I were sorely tempted to, but I knew I'd just be wasting time. Prolonging the inevitable was a serious crime indeed…

Hesitantly, I reached out and knocked on the polished wood, the sound hammering down either side of the hall.

A few moments of silence chased after the fading sound, before the low baritone of a man vocalized from the other side... "You may enter."

Taking a small trepidatious gulp, I reached out for the gold knob and opened the door with a near soundless click. A honey smooth light from the room began to spill out and I couldn't help the small gasp I let out at what I saw.

The room looked like something from a 18th century artist's chef-d'œuvre. The interior, from the walls to the furniture to the rug, was a smooth mocha color, but what really caught my eye was the splash of red and blue on opposing sides from one another. 

On the red side, everything seemed to be in an aesthetically pleasing disarray, creating the picture of playful charm sprinkled amongst the refined tastes of the beautifully crafted furniture. I could immediately tell that this had to be Mr. Julius's side.

On the blue side, everything looked as if it were calculatingly placed in a way that gave off the impression of an individual who preferred order and proper etiquette, which seemed to enhance the European tone of the decor. I could make an educated guess that this Mr. Beilschmidt’s side.

Soft jazz music with hints of freshly made coffee and aged books curled by my senses in a tantalizing dance. I may have just gotten here, but I could already tell that this was one of my favorite room’s in the whole school. It was like I stepped into another time period, a different world even, when compared to the modern and lavish chic from outside.

I had a strong desire to go exploring around the room and admiring everything in more detail, but the deliberate sound of someone clearing their throat hooked my attention. I looked back over to the blue side where the sound was coming from and my heart skipped a beat at who was sitting at a dark brown desk with intricate carvings.

If there was ever a man I would describe as beautiful, it would be the one sitting across from my on the blue side of the room. He looked about as old as Mr. Julius as well as the opposite of him. Long platinum blond hair that fell to his back along with a few braids was put in a ponytail, sharp blue-green eyes, and pale skin really painted him in a more elegant light than Mr. Julius' charming attitude. Those teal eyes stared at me with a stern, yet somewhat apathetic look that I couldn't help but gulp nervously at. He may have looked pretty, but the cold atmosphere around him made him seem like someone I did _NOT_ want to mess with.

" _Hallo_ , you must be (Full Name)?" He asked and I could clearly hear the heaviness of his Germanic accent.

"A…A-Ah, yes!" I winced internally at the crack in my voice at the end. The damn interview hasn't started yet and I was already so nervous! "It's…nice to meet you Mr. Beilschmidt."

He nodded politely before gesturing to the mocha colored couch in front of his desk. "Please, take a seat."

I stiffly walked over before plopping into the comfy chair (hell, it probably cost more than my monthly rent).

"First off," He began, lacing his fingers together and lightly bowing his head. "I would like to apologize on behalf of my associate. From what I've heard, it seems he decided on hiring you out of the blue, on the spot?"

"Ah, yes...pretty much..." I admitted rather sheepishly while he just gave a long-suffering sigh. I could tell it wasn't at me, but more at Mr. Julius. It seems like this wasn't the first time he's done something like this...

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience," He went on, the annoyance in his eyes softening back to its neutral state. "I've told that _dummkopf_ hundreds of times to stop immediately hiring random people, but as usual it went through one ear and out the other..."

I concealed my laughter from his words by fake coughing. Yep, as I predicted. Azalea wasn't exaggerating when she said Mr. Julius was a spur of the moment kind of guy. Speaking of which...

"Um, Mr. Beilschmidt." I began, fiddling with my fingers. "If I may ask, where is Mr. Julius? I kind of assumed he would be here as well..?"

"Vargas had some unexpected business to take care of back in Italy." He explained, looking a tiny bit miffed. "He won't be back for some time.

"O...O-Oh..." Was all that I could say in reply, feeling a bit...disappointed? I…felt sad that Mr. Julius wouldn't be here and (strangely enough) a bit hurt that he left without telling me. Though we’ve only known each other for little under a week, so it wasn't like he was obligated to tell me anything. Still though, I was looking forward to seeing him again…

It was awkwardly silent for a few moments, which was soon broken by Mr. Beilschmidt coughing into his fist. "Well, shall we begin with the interview? I know Vargas claimed to have already hired you, but I still want to see if you're qualified. I take it that you don’t mind?"

"Of course not! By all means, go ahead!" I wave my hands dismissively. Truth be told, I was also relieved at this. I didn’t fancy working at such a up standing job without proper preparation and conduct.

He nodded in satisfaction and began to riffle through an unseen filling cabinet, eventually pulling out a light blue file with my name on it. He also pulled out some black, wire rimmed glasses and put them on.

"It says here," Mr. Beilschmidt began, bespectacled eyes trained at the file in his hand. "That you’ve worked at a few daycares for several years along with substitute jobs at various other schools?"

“H…H-Huh?!” Okay, now _that’s_ freaky. Where on Earth did he get that information?! Did Mr. Julius tell him? But if that was the case, then how did he know about the other day cares I worked at? I only told him about the one I’m working at now!

Mr. Beilschmidy seemed to have noticed my puzzled and somewhat frightened look and laid the file down on his desk. "Me and Vargas have a very efficient information gathering system Frau (L/n). We like to know as much about those we consider hiring as we can. There's no need to worry though, as we don't bother looking into information that doesn't concern us. Just the typical work, possible criminal, and psychological records."

I dumbly nodded along with his explanation, though I couldn't help but feel curious and somewhat disturbed by it. I knew Hetalia Academy had a lot of influential connections, but did they really have ones that could get them virtually any information that they needed?! It did explain a lot though, like how Mr. Julius managed to find my address when he came to pick me up for dinner...

"I'm impressed. You started working at daycares at such a young age and you got your teaching license quite quickly as well." Mr. Beilschmidt muttered with an approving nod and I gave a small, honored smile (something told me that it was rare for him to give verbal compliments like this). 

"Ah, thank you sir. At the time, we didn't have a lot of money, so me and my older siblings took the initiative to get jobs to help support us. Since I was so used to taking care of my younger siblings all the time, I thought it would be the perfect job for me. Plus, I love children, so it’s nice to be able to play with and teach them!" I ended with a slightly embarrassed laugh. It wasn't because I thought that what I was saying was something to be embarrassed about. I just wasn't used to talking about myself so much. I preferred to listen to others talk about _their_ life if I was interested enough...

"I see..." He trailed off thoughtfully. He took off his reading glasses and laced his long fingers together, giving me a rather intimidating look that compelled me to sit up straight in anxiety. I felt like a cadet in front of their Sargent when interacting with Mr. Belischmidt and it wasn't because he could potentially be me boss. That was just the type of commanding aura he exuded at all times.

"Well Frau (L/n), from what I've read about you, you seem to be a very capable woman. It also said you had impressive grades and scores in your studies."

 _'Wah~! He even got info on my grades?!'_ I was left in a strange combination of self-consciousness and awe. I not sure if I’m 100% okay with them looking into my life like this but decided to bear with it for now. I _did_ want this job after all, and I didn't think snapping at my bosses would make a good impression...

"While I rather this decision wasn't made on such short notice," He continued. "I do think you'd be a beneficial member to our staff."

 _‘Holy shit really?!? Let’s fucking **go**!’_ My smile bloomed like a flower in the sun and my heart was practically dancing inside my chest in elation! I tried to not get my hopes up because of the _'think'_ in his words, but I still held the wish that everything would be fine.

"Tell me, do you mind working in our Primary school section? You'll be working with children between the ages of five and eleven, so it might be challenging..." He offered, though did so measurably, as if he was afraid I would decline, perish the thought!

"N…N-NO!" I flushed red at the over eager verbosity to my voice. Okay (F/n), it’s time to take chill out before you ruin this! "I…I-I mean, I would love to work there! As I said before, I'm used to working with children, so that would be more than perfect!"

Mr. Bielschmidt nodded, though he still seemed hesitant in something which in turn made _me_ hesitant. What could he possibly be unsure about? Could it be that while he thought I was good, I didn't have enough credentials? I quietly asked him just that, which seemed to take him by surprise.

"Oh no, you're qualified for the job. It's just..." He trailed off with a sigh, stern expression giving way to something akin to a grimace. "It's just that there's only one teacher position left open and... it's not a very forgiving one..."

"Uh...what do you mean sir? Is it a position that requires me to do a lot of paperwork or does it demand a lot of my time? I don't mind if that's the case, though I must admit that I would like my weekends as free as possible." How was I ever going to catch up on my shows otherwise?!

"No, it's nothing to do with that, though you will be required to do a fair amount of paperwork. It's more to do with the students themselves."

"Huh?"

Mr. Bielschmidt sat rigidly, tapping his fingers on his desk rythmically. "Now don't be alarmed or concerned," Okay we're already at a bad start. Anything that starts with _"Don't be alarmed"_ would leave one to be alarmed! "But what I'm about to tell you may not leave your lips or this room under any circumstances. Do you agree?"

 _'Well shit, now that you say it like that I'm not sure I want to!'_ I inwardly whimpered, worrying my lip at the choice. It...couldn't hurt to listen to him...right? I stewed in my nervous conflict for a few more moments before hesitantly nodding. I might regret it later on, but for now I’d just lament on the consequences when they came.

Mr. Bielschmidt nodded curtly, unlacing and lacing his fingers together. "...I'm not sure if you heard about it, but Hetalia Academy has a sister school called Akutalia Academy."

"Really?!" He’s right, I’ve never hearing about such a school before! I didn't even know the Academy _had_ a sister school!

"I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it." He admitted, looking contemplative. "Akutalia Academy is something of a...special school with a very obscure location. Only the staff here and a few select people even know of its existence."

"Wow~" How cool! I was little giddy at the fact that I was one of these select few people to know about such a school. Maybe the fact that he was telling me this meant that he was going to hire me? I sure hoped so!

"Yes, _wow_..." He trailed off and I could practically feel the tangible emphasis he put on the last word. I tilted my head at him, wondering what made him speak of this apparent Sister school with such dread.

"I'm... assuming that you wish to know why I brought up Akutalia correct?" Mr. Bielschmidt asked hypothetically to which, after a few moments, I nodded to. While not exactly what I was thinking, it was still a way to satisfy my curiosity.

Mr. Bielschmidt, for his part, did a pretty good job hiding the almost dreading sigh he gave as nothing but a simple exhalation. This act did not slip by me though as I have often experienced similar, world weary groans (going bar hopping with my friends while being a designated driver did _not_ make for a relaxing time).

I was fascinated by how expressive he had gone, with the grimace on his face, the fiddling of his hands and cuff links, the unseen tapping of his shoes; all of it painting the perfect representation of a man who was undoubtedly nervous. Nervous of what? I didn't know, and something deep in my subconscious was cautiously suggesting that maybe I didn't want to know...

"Well you see..." He began, trailing off uncertainly. I continued to observe him curiously, wondering what could be so bad with the school that would cause him to stall like this. Surely, it was a truth that I could handle.

"A few months ago...Akutalia Academy... _exploded_..."

.

.

.

_Nani the fuck?_

"P...P-Pardon?" I asked in polite confusion, tilting my head at a slight, bemused angle. Ah~ perhaps my hearing is going because I could've sworn he just said-

"Before you ask," He began, lifting a hand to signal for me to hear him out. "Yes, you heard right. No, it wasn't a gas leak, and the reason why it wasn't on the news is because we had to keep it a secret. Obscure Academy you see..."

"....O...Ok~ay..." I dragged on the last syllable, feeling completely thrown for a loop. So I didn’t mishear him. The school actually freakin’ _exploded_? What? Double what?? Triple chocolate chip chunk what??? "T…T-Then…if you don't mind me asking...how... _did_ the school explode?"

Ah~, yet another question that seemed to give Mr. Beilschmidt discomfort. He seemed to be debating with himself, looking torn. After a few terse moments, he nodded to himself and started to open his mouth.

_"It was the stu-"_

**_Ring~! Ring~!_ **

Gah! How I hated untimely phone calls that created suspense! The two of us stared at his ringing phone, me with curiosity and him in irritation. With a tense sigh, he asked for me to please wait a moment as he picked up the phone.

" _Hello_?" He answered, tone frosty and sharp like ice. I was only glad that his anger was directed at the person on the other line and not at me.

In my mind, I could suddenly picture a large damn before me. It stood strong and impenetrable, the roaring rapids behind it no match for the stone that has withstood its efforts of erosion for so long.

At first, Mr. Bielschmidt was obviously disgruntled. Lips pulled into a frown, brow wrinkled, eyes cold, posture tense. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that he was annoyed.

I could faintly hear the voice on the other line, fast paced and frantic. I could hear an odd rumble come from behind the damn…

"What?" He asked blankly, face now devoid of emotion. The rumbling was getting louder, concerningly so. To the point where the damn began to _shake_. What on Earth was going on?

This only lasted a few moments (around three heart beats from what I calculated by using my own heart as a timer). Soon enough his face was flooded with pure dread and I could see a crack go down the dam. The longer he listened to the other person babble, the more the cracks appeared. The rumbling was deafening and I could see water trickle out from the other side. It was only a matter of time before shit hit the fan-!

 ** _"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY?!"_** Mr. Bielschmidt stood up and slammed a large hand on to the desk with a deafening roar that nearly sent my soul to the shadow realm. The dam had finally burst! Everyone run for your freakin’ lives!

His body was both tense, yet trembling, like the beginnings of an earthquake. His teeth were borne in a snarl and his eyes ( _'windows to the soul'_ , I absently recounted in my mind. _'A very pissed off soul...'_ ) burned with a deep intensity.

Whatever was happening, whatever the person had told Mr. Bielschmidt, had sent him _off_.

" _Listen **!**_ " He snapped, the phone in his hand nearly being crushed by his intense grip. "Just call the others and take control of the situation until I get there! Make sure none of them make it out of the 2p! Wing or I'll have your _head_!"

And with that dark threat, he slammed the phone on to the hook with a Germanic curse (which sounded quite blasphemous to the lord if I might add).

Mr. Beilschmidt made to leave out the room in a torrential haste, but when his aqua eyes happened to land on me, he seemed to have remembered my existence. Of fucking duck in a truck, I was hoping he wouldn’t notice me and just bolt on out of here! M…M-Maybe if I just stayed very still and not breath, he would lose sight of me?!

The two of stared into each other’s eyes, undecipherable wisps swirling together to make an unsure sight. Stressed, yet well depressed, he seemed torn of what to do with me. Another few moments pass and he finally regards me not with anger, but resigned clarity.

"Do you want to know why the number 2 has recently become my least favorite number?"

Oddly specific, yet highly intriguing. Yes, I would like to know and I told him just as much.

He smiled bitterly. "Then I suggest that you follow me."

* * *

 ** _"2p! Wing?"_** I tried to keep my words stable in between my panting as the two of us were practically sprinting to some unknown destination.

"That's right." Mr. Beilschmidt answered, face stony and determined. "You see, when Akutalia had exploded around six months ago, Vargas offered to move the students over here until the school was rebuilt." He then grimaced, looking both annoyed at the situation at hand and his Italian associate. "Of course, many of us had objected due to the ill nature of the school, but Vargas was insistent, going on about how he owed a favor to the Headmaster of Akutalia and that he couldn't deny children the chance to learn."

"W…W-What do you mean the ill nature of the school?"

"Take it like this." He began, giving me a sideways look. "While Hetalia Academy has been extolled to give birth to the shining hope of the world, Akutalia has been infamous to giving birth the dark evil of the underworld."

"Huh?!" I looked up at him in shock. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that Akutalia is a school for juvenile delinquents."

The two of us turned a sharp corner, not letting up our speed for a second. "Basically, all the students at Akutalia are the children of some of the biggest or influential figures in the Underworld. Mafia bosses, drug lords, cult leaders, even some serial killers and dictators though the last two are just through rumor."

"A…A-Are you serious?!" If it wasn't for the fact that I knew Mr. Beilschmidt wasn't the one to make jokes like this, I would've thought he lost his fucking mind. Was there really a school like that out there, filled with the offspring of some of the most dangerous, seediest, and vile people in the world?! Then another realization hit me so hard that I almost tripped (or maybe it was due to my mounting exhaustion from all this damn running?). I thought back to what he was going to say before he got the phone call.

**_"It was the stu-"_ **

"S…S-So when you said Akutalia blew up?!" I wondered in an almost fearful, disbelieving tone.

He sighed, mussing up his blond hair that was spilling out from his ponytail. "Of course, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and the children of these families are just as, if not more so, dangerous than their parents. We're not sure how, but a group of students had managed to sneak in or paid somebody to sneak in tons of dynamite and plant them around the perimeter of the school." 

"A...A-ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" I mean, I was just jumping the gun! I didn't think he would confirm it as true!

"Unfortunately and bafflingly, yes." He answered with a heavy sigh. "After that incident, Vargas had agreed to take in the children, but to limit any "civilian" causalities, we moved them to a wing separate from the regular classes. The "Hetalia" students are in the 1p! Wing while the "Akutalia" students are in the 2p! Wing. I'm on my way to resolve a disturbance in said Wing."

As if called upon by the devil himself, we had eventually made it to what I, in my slightly delusional state of mind, perceived as the gates of Hell.

In a shockingly gothic manner, a wrought iron gate stood in front of the entry way to a hall. Various signs were hung on the gate and the walls around it, but instead of the cute motivational posters and school event fliers that were plastered everywhere else, these signs suggested of something far more sinister.

"Keep Out" "Caution" and even "Beware of Dog" were some of the ominous signs I saw, but the one that stood out to me the most was the one scrawled out in red on a black sheet of metal.

**_"2p! Wing: Akutalia Academy students and staff only!"_ **

"We should hurry." Mr. Beilschmidt stated, pulling out a ring of keys and flicking through them with nimble fingers. "Also, please stay close behind me Frau (L/n). I'm not sure if some of the students had broken out of their classrooms and I don't want you to get hurt."

Never in my life had I imagined that I would told to be wary of _TODDLERS_. Little children who would skip their way to their toys, giggle at YouTube videos, and draw cute little pictures of their families. I didn't know what I felt as I took in the intimidating gate and darkened halls, but whatever it was, I didn't like it.

Mr. Beilschmidt closed the gate behind us and we continued our trek. It seemed like the 2p! Wing was exactly the opposite of the 1p! Wing in color and design. Maroon colored walls and blacked marbled flooring echoed with our passage. Gothic chandeliers gave a dim ambiance, pairing nicely with the matching candelabras mounted on the wall next to pictures of some of history's darkest and controversial figures. Everything, in my opinion, was beautiful and elegant in a macabre sort of way. Honestly, I was expecting a vampire to come rounding the corner any minute now (though with how hewas treating the situation, there was probably something more dangerous than a blood sucking monster lurking about).

Soon, ( _'A bit **TOO** soon...'_ I thought, frowning to myself) the two of us made it to black stained double doors with golden knobs. There was a fancy looking black plaque with the numbers "2-13" etched in red.

"This," Mr. Beilschmidt motioned with a disdainful grimace. "Is class 2-13, also known as the class with the biggest troublemakers of the 2p! Wing. They were the ones suspected to be involved with the bombing."

I observed the door with a more caution due to this knowledge. It looked innocent enough...then again, there were many "innocent" looking things on this planet that turned out to be dangerous.

"I'm going to open it, but I must stress that you have to stay behind me in case of getting caught in a stray attack." He instructed, as if he were about to go into a battlefield. "Hopefully the substitutes inside are safe..."

Strangely enough, Mr. Beilschmidt gave me a meaningful side long look after that last statement, before quickly turning his gaze back to the door. It was so quick that I barely noticed, but I could've sworn I saw what looked like... pity? How strange... and unsettling! I gazed at the door with renewed worry, the name "Class 2-13" sounding more like a death omen than anything I've ever heard!

He held his breath before opening the door to the classroom with an almost teasing leisure. The ominous creaking seemed to go on for a lifetime and I just as I felt compelled to just yank open the damn thing to get it over with, something else did.

Mr. Beilschmidt seemed to sense something terrible as he suddenly jerked, let out a stilted curse in German, and quickly turned to me and pulled me into his chest and away from the door! Any other day, I would have been flustered red at such an action and close proximity to a man I barely knew, but my embarrassment was nowhere to be seen as I was too preoccupied by the sight of a man flying into the air.

It seemed as if some unknown force had launched the man through the doors, knocking them from their hinges and leading him to crash into a nearby wall. I swear, my eyes were blown so wide that I was a surprise they didn't fall out!

The man who had the unfortunate fate of becoming a projectile groaned in pain, mumbling something about "Demons" and "Pure Evil" before fainting on the spot.

Mr. Beilschmidt let me go before instructing me to stay behind and find cover over the loud, almost screeching sounds of heavy metal and chaos. It seems we were going to get an encore to his anger from earlier ‘cause he looked _PISSED_. His rage led his accent to become even more prominent, Germanic words fading as he ran into the room.

I felt frozen from where I stood, unable to and unwilling to take a step forward. If this were an anime or cartoon, I'd swear a dark miasma would be spilling from out the broken doorway. I honestly thought I’d fall to my knees and shiver in place, but I surprisingly managed to stay standing. Baffling still, I felt almost _compelled_ to enter the room. I had to have gone completely crazy! No one in their right mind would enter into what ever madhouse that classroom had become…still, the thought of any of the children in there being hurt because of the madness had left me with a deep worry. Hell, some of them may already be hurt and needed help! There was no way I could just leave now! I didn’t know what I could do, but I at least had to help in anyway I can!

So, despite my common sense and flight instincts practically screeching for me to do the opposite, I entered with shaky footsteps...

And was promptly met with pure _chaos_.

The first thing I noticed was the mess. What had once, I assumed, been a massive and pristine classroom now looked like mosh pit in a garbage dump. Chairs and furniture were strewn about and destroyed, blending in with the broken toys and glass. An apple TV was laying on its side in despair, a giant hole in its black screen. The walls were covered with paint, food, cracks, and holes. The lights were either broken or flickering weakly and I could've sworn I saw what suspiciously looked like smoking _bullet shells_ on the ground. My jaw practically unhinged at the _BONFIRE_ in the middle of the classroom that was surrounded by dozens of dancing and chanting children who looked like they were in some demonic cult!

Another thing of _interest_ were the trench like barricades that Mr. Beilschmidt and various staff members were hiding behind, taking cover from an onslaught of bebe and paint gun ammunition.

" _Verdammt_!" He cursed, crouching low as to not get blasted with paint pellets. "I demand that you children stop this at once! You all have crossed the line this time!"

The addressed children only laughed at his demand, unrelenting in their attack. I noted that unlike the red and blue uniforms that most of the 1p students wore, the 2p students were dressed in predominantly black uniforms. They also looked rather...menacing with their jeers and sneers on their faces as they were having a blast attacking the staff.

One boy in particular had caught my attention as he was standing on a teacher's desk, hammering down on an electric guitar with a death metal tune. He was a unique looking boy, with cherry red, somewhat wavy hair with a cute little strand standing up on top and vibrant purple eyes that sat behind black glasses. He wore his black and blue uniform in a punk like fashion; the sleeves of his blazer ripped off, chains jangling from his pants, spiked bracelets on his wrists, and (weirdly enough) a perfectly tied blue cravat around his neck. He was grinning a sharp toothed grin, looking almost possessed as he shredded at the guitar, surrounded by students who were cheering like they were at a concert.

 _"JA BABY!"_ He cried out in an Austrian accent, finishing up with his intense song and basking in the cheers of his classmates. " _Danke, danke_ my adoring audience!" He went on with a flashy, flamboyant diction one would expect from rock stars. "I'm glad I could do a show at the infamous class 2-13! Some of you have also come from the other classes _ja_?"

A roar of approval met his answer and the boy grinned with a dark gleam in his eyes. " _Wunderbar!_ It wouldn't have been a party without people!"

I stood there, dumbstruck at the information. If what that boy was saying is true, then kids from other classes were here as well?! Now that I looked around, I could see that some of the kids had their phones or cameras out, recording the show. W...W-Were they live streaming this to the other classrooms as well?!

"The show isn't over yet _Damen und Herren!_ " He cried, preparing to start another song. "We still have plenty of time to have some fun! Treat yourself to some of the refreshments we "borrowed" from the kitchens! Do some arts and crafts on the walls! Join the others in gunning down those stuck up Hetalia pricks! Let's fuck shit up!"

The group of children roared at this and many scattered to do just that. They picked up spray paints and permanent markers and started to desecrate the walls. Many rushed towards a table that was piled with international snacks, candies, and sodas. Others joined the firing squad, pulling out or picking up their own weapons with a sadistic gusto.

The boy cackled, crying out a " _LASS UNS ROCKEN!_ " and began another intense song. 

I felt like I was transported into some twisted dimension. Everything that was happening, everything I was witnessing, was pure _madness_. The noise was deafening, with the heavy metal, the laughing, the sound of things being broken, the cursing and jeering and shouting.

Worst of all though was the mere sight of children and adults fighting each other like this! The chaos! The absolute disarray!! It was almost maddening!!!

.

.

.

Oddly enough though, I wasn’t going crazy.

Instead, I was getting very...very... _VERY_ angry.

And then, I guess everything…kinda went…white?

* * *

**_"THAT! IS! ENOUGH!"_ **

Everything stopped instantly, chaos halted by the piercing words that could’ve possibly been heard across campus. The group turned to look at the source of the yell with shocked or fearful expressions. One couldn't blame them as the woman standing in the doorway looked _quite_ intimidating.

(F/n)’s eyes were ablaze with anger, stance tense and teeth slightly bared. She, in that moment, had an uncanny resemblance to an angry mother bear or wolf. There was no fear in her heart as she stomped towards the children, heedless of the danger and ignoring Alberich's calls, warning her to get back and that it was dangerous.

 _'Dangerous...'_ She thought with distaste. _'I see no danger here, just a bunch of misbehaving little troublemakers!'_

"You!" She snapped over to the kids with the guns, causing them to twitch at the stern tone. "What on Earth do you think you're doing with those?! Bringing such dangerous weapons to school and using them on people! Put those down this _instant_!"

Almost as if they were compelled to, the group of kids dropped the weapons as if they were on fire and she nodded curtly at the compliance. "Good. Now go stand over by that wall and don't touch anything else!"

The kids, with varying degrees of annoyance and bowed heads, headed over to the indicated wall where there was the least broken glass or debris (she didn't want them to cut themselves afterall).

(F/n) then set her sights on the kids with spray paint and markers who all immediately dropped what they had in their hands before she even had to tell them to. "Don't think you guys are off the hook! Do you realize how much money it's going to take to fix these walls?! Well, if you like destroying them so much then go stand over there were your friends are and admire your work!" They followed her instructions with stilted curses and pouting lips.

 _'Now for the hard part.'_ She thought crossly as she looked over to the bonfire children. "I don't want to even know how you guys started such a large fire. But I do know that you're in a whole lot of trouble! Get away from there in case you burn yourselves! Go over to the others and all of you exit outside on your dots-they do have dots on the black top right?" She quickly asked one of the nearby teachers who nodded dumbly at he. "Okay, get to your dots and stay there so you don't inhale anymore smoke than you need to!"

"Hey!" Yelled the flashily dressed boy holding the guitar, looking at her with angry eyes. "Who the hell are you to just come in here and tell us what to do?! Get back to the old people home _Oma_!"

(F/n) looked at the boy with narrowed eyes before making her way towards him with quick, sharp steps. "You're right, I don't have any right or authority to tell you kids what to do." She admitted, much to his confusion. It seems he wasn't expecting her to be so honest with it. "But, I'm not just going to stand here and watch you kids run amok and destroy everything!"

It seemed her glare was starting to get to the boy, who was shuffling in place and looking up at her rather nervously. At his scrunched-up expression, she took the time to calm herself down. It wouldn't do any good running around and shouting in kids' faces. She always took the more the docile, yet stern approach when dealing with rowdy kids, so all this anger and yelling wasn't like her.

 _'All right (F/n), take a couple of deep breaths, five seconds in, hold it for two, five seconds out.'_ She coached to herself, feeling her frustration ebb away until she was left feeling exhausted. It's been a while since she got that worked up...

When she felt like her emotions were stable enough, she let out one extra breath before crouching down to be face-to-face with the boy.

"...That's a really nice guitar..." She eventually mumbled after a few solid moments of staring, motioning for the child to give her his name. He looked stunned for a moment before giving her a suspicious look. He seemed hesitant to speak to her, but after a few moments of internal debate, he answered.

"Roland Edelstein..."

"It's nice to meet you Roland." She nodded towards him before gesturing to herself. "I'm (Full Name)."

"Hmph! I didn't ask..." He sniffed haughtily, though looking puzzled at how this conversation was going. The other occupants in the room were just as confused and awed. After what they had seen, they half expected her to tear the boy a new one!

"I know you didn't. I just felt like introducing myself is all." She answered simply before tilting her with a faint smile. "You really good at guitar Roland. You must practice a lot."

Roland blushed a little at her out-of-nowhere compliment before beaming a rather arrogant smile. "Hmph! If you must know I practice guitar every day for two hours!"

"It really shows!" She agreed readily, actually meaning it. It was true after all! While he may not have been doing it for the best intentions, he was still a great guitar player. 

Roland's grin was growing bigger and bigger with every praise, but it was soon wiped off by her next words.

"Still, being a great guitar player doesn't let you off the hook." (F/n) scolded, earning an affronted look from Roland who had clearly thought that he wasn't going to get in trouble. "You do know that what you kids were doing was bad right?"

"Hmph!" He scoffed, throwing an indignant look to the side. "We weren't doing anything bad! We were expressing our creativity!" He defended, placing his hands on his hips with a pout. "Those un-rockin’ teachers are always making us do boring stuff and try to keep us locked inside like a bunch of animals! We just got sick of it and wanted to let loose! What's the problem with that?!"

"There's a _huge_ problem with that." A deep voice growled and (F/n) turned to see a royally pissed (and comically soaked from an onslaught of water guns he hadn't been able to avoid) Alberich standing behind Roland. He flinched at the dark tone and didn't even had time to turn around before he was lifted into the air from the collar of his uniform.

"Hey!" He cried, trying to get free from his grasp. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?! Put the rockin’ me down before you rip my shirt! Do you realize how much this shit cost?!"

"The cost of your shirt should be the least of your problems!" He snapped back, eyes narrowed to a sharp glare. "If you kids thought that you could get away with this, then you thought wrong! Who put you up to this?!"

"Wouldn't you like to know?!" Roland mocked, blowing a raspberry at the vice-headmaster. "I'm not a filthy snitch! I'm not saying anything! I plead the fifth! I want my lawyer!"

Alberich looked close to blowing a gasket, a deep lion like rumble in his throat. (F/n) decided then to step in, not liking the hostile tinge in his eyes. 

"U...U-Um! Mr. Beilschmidt!" She hazard, giving the other a placating stare. "I...I don't mean to interrupt, but maybe we should try getting things under control before the...uh, investigation?"  
It ended up sounding more like a question due to the strange context. She usually associated "Investigations" with crime, so the fact that it involved kids in this setting made her unsure. Would there really be an investigation for this? From the magnitude of the classroom’s destruction, she'd say yes.

The vice Headmaster stared at her for a few moments before the anger in his eyes drained away to show exhaustion. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his free hand before calling over two security guards that were nervously standing by.

"Here, take him to my office." Alberich instructed, handing Roland over to them (much to the child's indignant protest). "Make sure he doesn't escape or destroy anything else. I'll be there as soon as I can." 

While the two guards didn't look happy at the idea of watching over him, they eventually acquiesced and went to follow their boss' orders, struggling to keep hold of a furious Roland.

(F/n) watched the three leave, noticing that other staff members and security guards were going outside to deal with the rowdy kids she had sent out. She wasn’t all that happy with how they were treating the children but, she couldn't find it in her to bring it up. She didn't work here after all and was just told about the nature of Akutalia not too long ago. Maybe such strict measures needed to be taken to keep out of control kids like these under control? Still, it left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Ha..." Alberich ran his finger through his damp hair, looking to have aged by ten years. "I'm sorry for all this Frau (L/n). You ended up getting involved in such a disastrous situation..."

She gave a somewhat forced smile, finding herself torn between abating his guilt and sighing as well. If she was completely honest with herself, she wished she didn't get involved in all this chaos. But, it was her fault for even following Alberich in the first place. He tried and hinted multiple time for her to go or stay back, but she didn't listen, the thought of seeing the infamous 2p! classes too much to ignore. Now look where that curiosity got her! More exhausted than she’s ever been in her life, in the middle of a destroyed classroom, and surrounded by a bunch of world-weary adults who looked as if they rather be dead than working here. It seems she wasn’t the only one completely drained at the moment and she couldn't help but pity those that had to work in this Wing of the school. The poor bastards…

"It's... not a big deal Mr. Beilschmidt." (F/n) eventually stated, slumping in on herself somewhat. "I’ve dealt with a bunch of scrappy kids myself, so I'm kinda used to it."

"I see..." He trailed off, eyes looking thoughtfully conflicted as he stared at her. She couldn't help but shuffle in place, feeling nervous at _how_ he was staring at her. Had he seen through her half-truth?! Margot and Chase had always teased her about being such a terrible liar, so she wouldn't be surprised.

"D...D-Do you need something Mr. Beilschmidt?" She hazard asking, knocking him from his thoughts. Alberich looked slightly abashed and coughed into his fist, looking away from her.

"Ah, no. I'm sorry Frau (L/n), please forgive my rude behavior. I was just..." He suddenly stopped, looking conflicted again before shaking his head dismissively. "It's nothing..."

You would think that with what had just happened, (F/n)’s little curiosity tick would've taken a hint and got lost, but apparently it was still feeling greedy. She wanted very much to take his word for it and leave well enough alone, but it seems she was still the same old hard-headed person.

"What's "nothing" Mr. Beilschmidt?" She asked, catching him by surprise. He tried to dismiss the subject again, but she was insistent. Maybe it was because she was sick of all these secrets and surprises today, but she was acting more stubborn than usual.

"Ach! Okay, okay..." He finally conceded, much to her inner joy and victory. It also didn't quite occur to her until now that maybe the reason why he didn't want to tell her was because it wasn't going to be good. May~be she should tell him never mind? Unfortunately, she didn't have time to voice her apprehension when Alberich gave her a determined stare.

"Frau (L/n)," He began, voice low and resolute. She honestly didn't know what he was going to say in the next moment. Would it be more secrets? Like a third sister school that was also hidden somewhere in Hetalia Academy? An even more dangerous and obscure 3p! Class?! Many theories swirled through her head like a twister, driving her to the edge of her seat in anticipation.

(F/n) watched as Alberich opened his mouth and said-

_"I want you to work at the 2p! wing."_

....

Well, that was unexpected?

Needless to say, today was quite the eventful one.

* * *

Unbeknownst to her and Alberich, the lens to a nearby security camera began to zoom in on (F/n)’s gob smacked face. Its lens blinked curiously at her, the video and pictures it took being displayed in a room far from Class 2-13.

The room was not something one would expect to be in a school. It looked more like an entertainment room outfitted with a massive flat screen T.V that was connected to every game station imaginable and I-Max worthy stereos. A couple of coffee tables cluttered with snacks and drinks from various countries sat in front of large, plush love seats and couches that were currently occupied by 12 tiny little figures. Their eyes, motley in size, shape, and color, were trained almost unnervingly on her face that was being projected on the screen.

A strange giggle soon pierced through the silence of the room and all the occupants turned their attention to the source.

The laughter was coming from a rather eccentric looking boy with marshmallow pink hair, freckled splattered nose and cheeks, strange looking eyebrows, and wide baby blue eyes with pink flecks that sat behind too-big-for-his-head glasses. He was laughing like mad, trying to hold in his snickers but failing.

One of the boys near him, a tanned skinned youth with dark-auburn hair, crimson eyes obscured by black sunglasses, and a bandage on his nose glared at the other in annoyed suspicion.

"What the hell are ya laughin’ at ya fruit?" He demanded of the other as the other boy seemed to be regaining control of himself.

"Hehe~! It's just that, her face just looks so funny!" He explained, the mention of it almost sending him into another fit of giggles. "I mean look at her! She looks like she's going to be sick all over the carpet~!"

" _Juk syun!"_ Another boy exclaimed, grinning wildly at the T.V. He covered his sharp smile with an overly large sleeve, messy black bangs falling into his ruby red eyes. "That is funny! Being able to ma a stupid expression like that~!"

"Like you're one to talk." Another child proclaimed in apathy, earning a pout from the Chinese boy.

"Na, Mikado~! Why must you be so mean to your _gòhgō_ like that~?" He cooed with a toxic sweetness, sleeve doing nothing to muffle his manic giggles. "Your harsh words pierce my heart~!"

A disgust as sharp as the small blade in his possession curled unpleasantly in the addressed boy's stomach. His red eyes narrowed in warning and contempt as he flicked his sword from his sheath with his thumb, metal glinting in the dim light. 

_"Iyana hentai..."_ He seethed, much to the amusement of his _"gòhgō"_ who cuddled closer to the larger child who's lap he was sitting in.

"Shishishi! At least Viktor is kind to me, right _bīng jùrén_ ~?"

"Viktor" said nothing in response to the other, half of his pale face obscured by the blue-grey scarf he wore as he read a book in his hands with apathetic red eyes.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the room, a morose sigh left the down turned lips of a messy haired albino boy who sat with his knees drawn up to his chest, looking at the ground sadly. This almost inaudible sound seemed to have caught the attention of yet another boy, who stared at him tired purple eyes.

"...What's up with you?" He asked, his Québécois accent mixed with curiosity.

The sad boy looked up at his friend before moving his hands around in sign language. He watched this action for a few moments before furrowing his brow in bewilderment.

"What do you mean you feel sorry for her?" He translated, looking and sounding like he couldn't understand why his friend would feel that way. "Why the hell would you think that? You didn't care about the ones before."

The mute boy gave a slight shrug before signing again. 

"...She seems nice?" He translated once more, before rolling his eyes at the thought, brushing his blond hair out of his face. "Please, like anyone in this shit hole is "nice". I give her three days tops before she gets sick of us."

"Three days?" Asked the tanned skinned boy from earlier, leaning in obnoxiously close to the blond in order to smirk at the albino. "Shiet~, I give the broad a day."

While the Canadian was fighting with the American to get him off, another blond giggled cutely to himself as he was dressing a doll in pink clothing.

" _Favo_ ~! It seems the new teacher is going to be way more fun than the others!" He cheered, his Italian accent sounding light and bubbly while the boy (who looked rather intimidating with his slightly scarred face and short black hair with white stained bangs) next to him sat dozing with his arms crossed. "Right, Luci~?"

"Luci" gave his brother an annoyed glance, seeming to loath the nickname used, before his magenta eyes turned back to the screen in front of him. "Hmph, don't get your hopes up." He announced, signaling for a nearby maid to fill his cup with more juice. He smirked up at the T.V. with eyes that gleamed of sadistic challenge. "A boorish woman like her won't prove much of a challenge, right Lutz~?"

"Lutz" merely nodded at the Italian, chewing lazily on a pretzel in his hand. He chuckled to himself, dark ambition filling him with excitement. He found the way (F/n) screeched and threw out demands to be amusing. If she really wanted to be a teacher for them, then fine. He'd play along until she got boring. After all, the rest of them eventually fell, and she would do the same.

One didn't just challenge a Vargas and get away with it, especially if it was Luciano Vargas.

* * *

**_(German) Dummkopf- A stupid person; a blockhead._ **   
**_(German)Verdammt- Dammit  
(German) Ja- Yes  
(German) Danke- Thank you  
(German) Wunderbar- Wonderful  
(German) Damen und Herren- Ladies and Gentlemen  
(German) Lass uns Rocken!- Let's rock!  
(German) Oma- Granny  
(German) Blöd- Stupid  
(Cantonese) Juk syun- Ugly, Disgusting.  
(Cantonese) Gòhgō- Older Brother  
(Japanese) Iyana hentai- Disgusting pervert_ **

**_Thanks for Reading~!_ **


	5. Class 2-13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which (F/n) get's the job as well as the trials and tribulations that come with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**July: Monday 28th, 20XX~** _

* * *

_"I put my heart and soul into my work and have lost my mind in the process."_

I recall reading this quote on a Tumblr aesthetic blog. I couldn't quite remember who said it, but I do remember that it might’ve been an artist (perhaps Vincent Van Gogh?). In this respect, though, the person I was relating this quote to wasn't a renowned artist, but the vice-principal of Hetalia Academy.

Surely, it must've have been the effect of such a stressful job that had finally pushed Mr. Beilschmidt over the edge, for there was _no way_ he would ask such a ludicrous request of me if sane!

He'd lost his mind, that _had_ to be the reason. And yet, the way his aqua colored eyes stared at me resolutely, the way he still held his head high, the way his voice sounded all clued in to a completely sane individual.

"I can't teach this class!" I cried, trying to get it through to him that there was no way I could teach a 2p! class, let alone class 2-13! Not only were I not qualified to handle them, I was also not sure that I wanted to teach in a freakin’ war zone!

"Why do you think so?" He argued back, as if the answer wasn't clear enough. We had been discussing the subject for a good while now, neither of us backing down in our opinions.

"Why do I think so?!" I repeated in disbelief before throwing my hands out to gesture towards the destroyed 2-13 classroom that we were still in. "Look at this place! Do you honestly think that I'm qualified or able to control a group of kids who are capable of...of _this_?!"

"You managed to stop the chaos though." He countered, still managing to keep a calm and level head (I felt a little annoyed at the fact, wondering why it was only _me_ who was getting worked up). "Those kids were out of control until you stepped in. Not even I was able to call those children to order as proficiently as you did."

"That...that was just a fluke!" I stumbled, unsure as to why the kids listened to me in the first place. They certainly had no reason to and if what Mr. Beilschmidt said was true, what I did was nothing short of a miracle (perhaps I just had the element of surprise?). I looked up towards him with tired, yet apologetic eyes. "Mr. Beilschmidt, while I'm flattered that you think I'm capable of being a teacher here, I honestly do think that you should find someone who is more fitting for the job. I'm almost positive that I won't be able to handle a situation like this aga-"

"You had managed to handle the accident at the daycare you worked at when you were younger well enough." He quickly cut me off, immediately looking a little shame faced as soon as the words left his mouth. I stopped at this, taken aback by the sudden interruption. I gave him a curious look, wondering what he was talking about, until it hit me like a wave.

"H…H-How did you-?" I stuttered out, truly amazed at and uncomfortable with how much information this man had manage to dig up about me.

"I read it in your file, but I didn't want to bring it up in case it brought up bad memories." He answered, looking guilty for mentioning it. The event in question being one that I didn't think I'd hear about again, especially from my possible future boss.

It had happened back when I was sixteen and worked at a daycare in my old neighborhood. A boy, who had always been an aggressive problem child who would break things and yell at the teachers, had suddenly whipped out a knife and pointed it at the daycare worker who was scolding him for hitting another kid. He barked for him to stay away and then began to threaten to use it on anyone who got closer to him. I vividly remember how scared I was for the children and the young boy in question. What if he hurt someone? What if he hurt himself?!

The other teachers and assistants tried to calm him down, but he was near hysterical, screaming at everyone, threatening to cut up anyone who got close to him. He had said that there was no way he could trust an adult and that every one of them should just go die. They were just liars and horrible monsters, just like his father! It was when he had said that, did I decide to intervene…

He was immediately hostile towards me, looking agitated at my approach, and my fellow co-workers and students urged me to get back. I ignored them though and cautiously walked towards the boy. I made no sudden or hostile movements, only taking in his now clear as day malnourished and bruised form.

I was horribly furious, not at him, but at myself and his now identified as an abusive father. How could I not have noticed the signs? The fact that no matter how hot it was, the boy always wore long sleeve shirts, how he would flinch away whenever an adult got too close to him, how he never seemed to have a snack for snack time and how his father never picked him up from the daycare, leaving the boy to walk home alone (he had claimed that he lived right around the corner of the daycare, but I was positive that, that was also a lie). It was clear as day in hindsight. The boy's aggressiveness was just his defense mechanism against pain, a mirrored image to his father's own abusive actions. I concluded that either something especially offensive had happened to him the day before or he must've snapped under the pressure to make him so afraid that he needed to carry a fucking _knife_ with him to feel safe.

I carefully made my way closer to him but stayed far enough that I wouldn't freak him out. He looked at me like a cornered animal, yet I kept my expression soft and warm, making sure not to show the ill and murderous intent I felt towards his piece of shit father. I hoped the police would get to him before I did because with how angry I felt at that moment, I was sure to kill the bastard myself.

It had taken almost an hour for me to calm down the boy through simply talking to him. I had sympathized with him, knowing how hard it was for a kid to live in such big and scary world. How he must've felt so alone. I often thought the same things when I was younger, sitting in my bed and wondering why my birth parents didn't want me. Wondering why they bothered having me when they were just going to give me up in the end. It took some time, but I eventually realized that it didn't really matter what their reasons were. I was happy with my foster family. Sure, we all weren't blood related and we may have had our arguments and disagreements, but we all truly did love each other, and our foster mother made sure to treat each and every one of us with an equal amount of love and care. It came as a pleasant surprise when I realized that it had been a long time since I ever felt lonely in this world.

The boy must've felt something from my words, because almost like snow in the sun, his shakily thrown on facade of anger and hate had melted to give way to a child that was deeply hurting. He had dropped the knife and rushed into my arms, bawling and crying, finally being able to let out his pain.

The rest of the day went on like a blur. The police had come and I, along with the other Daycare workers, had explained the situation. The boy's father was soon detained for child abuse after the police had seen the extent of the boy's injuries (even now, I felt sick at the array of bruises that littered his skin-and-bones body).

The mother had long since passed away, which now left the boy without anyone to care for him, essentially making him an orphan. He was obviously frightened at his new title and the fact that he might be sent to an even worse family than before, but I’s be damned if we to let that happen. My foster mother was only too glad to take the boy in despite the fact that she had several other kids she had to care for. She believed in the phrase the more the merrier, a mindset I always admired her for.

It took a lot of time to get everything settled, much to my annoyance, but that was how adoption processes worked. It was tedious and frustrating, but worth it in the end when you got to see the smile on the child's face. It also took some time for the boy to warm up to us, the psychological scars running deep…

Still, I liked to think that now, when the boy was getting ready for his Sophomore year of high school, playing on the soccer team with his friends, and being able to get through his days with more smiles and less panic attacks, he's made some healthy progress...

The silence between Mr. Beilschmidt and I seemed to stretch on for an eternity, the both of us lost in our thoughts and unsure how to go on. Surprisingly, it was him who broke it.

"Frau (L/n)," He began, giving me a guilty, yet earnest look. "You may think that I'm making a mistake, but I assure you that I'm making a correct choice. Believe me when I say that if there is anyone who I would consider able to take care of these kids and to get them under control, it's you." He sighed, running a hand through his mussed-up hair, yet he had a wry smile on his face. "But, if you are truly insistent on not being a teacher for the 2p! Wing, then I'll respect your decision and be sure to contact you when we have a spot open for a 1p! Teacher job."

I stared up at his weary face, feeling conflicted. Could I truly do it? Did I really have the qualifications to teach such a rambunctious class successfully? I didn't know...but maybe it was worth a shot? My thoughts unwittingly went back to the dinner with Mr. Julius two days prior, and the words that he said to me...

_"(F/n), I know for a fact that you are more than qualified to be a teacher at my school. This whole night only sealed the deal! Your open honesty, the fact that you really look at people when you’re talking to someone or listening, your passion for teaching, your knowledge, the fact that you're kind, yet can be stern when need be. Kids aren't stupid, they see the world just as we do, only from a more simple point of view. They're more observant than anything, so I'm sure they will be able to see the open friendliness and compassion that you possess. Believe me when I say that you are capable of teaching at Hetalia Academy, and that I truly want you to work for me."_

I felt warm at the reminder of his words, yet also encouraged. Despite his childish antics, I didn't think Mr. Julius could make fatally irresponsible decision (I decided to ignore his story about the grenade). He wouldn't have hired me if he thought that I couldn't handle it and with Mr. Beilschmidt’s insistence, that only served to seal the deal.

"I'll do it." I was surprised to find that the words left my lips with little to no hesitation. Mr. Beilschmidt flinched at my statement and looked understandably surprised. One moment I was insisting not to work in the 2p! Wing, the next I suddenly ask to do it.

"Are you sure Frau (L/n)?" He asked my seriously, going into "Boss" mode. "I want you to know that you have no obligation to sign up for this position. I fear that I've made you believe that you have no choice-"

"No, it's not like that at all!" I assured him, giving him my best confident grin and flexing my arm for good measure. "While I still think that I'm not the most qualified for the job, I'm sure that this will be an excellent learning opportunity for me! So...I'm willing to apply for the job, Mr. Beilschmidt..."

Said man gave me a strange look, seeming to mull over my words, before nodding in agreement. "Well alright then." He promptly stated before motioning for me to follow him. "If you are truly certain on your decision, then please follow me to my office to work everything out."

"Yes sir." I answered, following after him and deeply thinking to myself. Was I making the right choice? I didn’t' know, but a part of me was actually looking forward to it.

 _'Maybe it won't be as bad as you think,'_ I thought to myself optimistically, feeling my lips pull up into a grin at the thought. _'By tomorrow morning, I'll officially be teaching at Hetalia academy!’_

* * *

_**August: Monday 4th, 20XX (exactly a week later)~** _

* * *

I give a self-pitying sigh, falling into the chair and slamming my head on the desk with a loud crack…ow, that actually really fucking hurt. Why did I do that??? Ow, ow, ow~

I could feel three pairs of eyes boring into me and I didn't have to wait long for one of them to voice their curiosity.

"Sooo~" Azalea drawled chewing on her gum after the bubble she blew popped from her surprise. "How's your day been?"

I groaned again, a bit louder this time, and she hummed at my answer. "I assuming that meant not good..."

"Gee, do ya think?" Clover asked sarcastically, tapping a perfectly manicured finger on the desk. "I'm surprised it took her this long to lose the will to live. Most high-tail it after three days, four max."

"Hm~..." Iris hummed, sounding concerned. "She doesn't look good. Those bags under her eyes are like, borderline racoon!"

 _'I wish I was a racoon...'_ I thought in half bitterness and half delirium. _'At least then it would be acceptable for me to look like a mangy animal.'_ To be fair on my part, though, it wasn't my fault that I looked like this. Hell, for those who worked at the school, it was expected for me to look like a mad woman, especially if you were a poor _bast_ -er, I mean teacher of the 2p! Wing.

In case it was hard to gather, I had been working at Hetalia Academy for about a week now and unsurprisingly, I was having a hard time with it. My very first _day_ had started off with a disaster and had soon spiraled into a living nightmare!

In the 2p! Wing, respect was a luxury rather than a basic human right, and this fact really hindered my ability to teach a class that wanted nothing to do with me! The majority of my students either ignored me or were downright hostile, but U took solace in the fact that me fellow co-workers were also enduring this abuse with me.

As it would be neigh impossible (and detrimental) to have one teacher in a 2p! class, each class had around 2-3 teachers to try and instruct the class. Unfortunately for me, class '2-13' was _"special"_ and required five teachers and two security guards. Many would say that such precautions were overkill, but then many haven't taught a class of full of hyperactive, little demons for eight hours a day for a week. Many would also be ignorant of the fact that these numbers were still not enough to control the class, especially in the face of their sadistic shenanigans. Many would not even _think_ to entertain the thought that those two security guards were for the _teachers_ ’ protection rather than the students.

Every day, the seven of us would have to risk our lives and _Indian Jones_ our way through the day, trying to avoid the numerous traps and pranks that the kids would pull. This, more often than not, ended in failure.

Despite it being at my expense, I had to admit that I was impressed by my class’s creativity and ingenuity. Their use of Guerrilla warfare was both admirable and terrifying, if my first day ending with me being soaked to the bone by water balloons, covered in glitter, and smelling like garlic had anything to say about.

If there was one good (well...good depending on how one perceived it) thing that came out of this, it was that my reflexes were getting sharper by the hour. I had become something of a pro at dodging my students’ attacks and sensing when something wasn't right, leading to my fellow co-workers to rely on me to get them through the day. This, unfortunately, has led the class to think that _I_ was their leader of sorts and, therefore, the biggest threat. I could sense that they were growing frustrated at the fact that I kept avoiding their attacks, so they've started to up the ante. What was once considered to be mischievous, childish pranks were becoming borderline attempts at _murder_. Just this morning I had avoided getting pelted by mud piles with baseball sized **_rocks_** hidden in them when I was on my way to the classroom (the guy behind me, though, was not so lucky. I had to remind myself to visit him in the infirmary later).

Now, some would ask why I didn't just quit and save myself the mental trauma? I hated people like that because they always had a point. Why the hell _didn't_ I just quit?! Well, to keep it short and simple, it was because of two things. One, the pay was so jaw droppingly bountiful and generous that I could build my _own_ school if I wanted and I would have to have truly lost my mind to waste such an opportunity (all those 0's proved to be more convincing than anything I’ve ever seen or heard before). Another, more prominent reason though, was because I had finally achieved my dream of being a full-time teacher. Even if it wasn't in the pleasant manner I imagined, I was still a teacher dammit and I was determined to see this through! 

…Though, could a teacher who couldn't even teach still be considered a teacher?

Preoccupied with keeping on my toes and survival on my mind, the fact that I’ve barely gotten any teaching done (and what little I did ending up in utter failure) served to depress me even more.

Another morose sigh left my lips and I could see Azalea look at me with deep concern. I had started getting closer to her and her sisters the past few days due to this being the one place where I could find reprieve. The 2p! teacher's lounge had "mysteriously" flooded, so it was under renovations at the moment. Mr. Beilschmidt had offered the 1p! Teachers' lounge to me, but I declined on account of how far apart the two Wings were. It was much easier to sit around the entrance than to just walk back and forth like that. I had been lamenting my woes to the triplets and they had come to deeply sympathize with me in their own unique ways.

"Hey come now (F/n), it's alright." Azalea soothed before reaching into her purse and pulling out a bottle. "Here, try some of this to take the edge off."

Huh, that bottle looked a lot like tequila…what a minute, that it _was_ tequila!

"What the fu-WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT?!" I sat up, looking at her incredulously. "YOU'RE AT A SCHOOL AND IT'S 12:00 IN THE AFTERNOON!"

"Hey it's 5:00 somewhere." Clover stated with a devil may care shrug and reached over to snag the bottle from her sister, only to get rejected with a slap to her hand. As the siblings began to squabble with each other over the drink, Iris decided to try her hand at consoling me.

"Listen (F/n), I know it may seem hard and, like, impossible now, but you can't give up just yet!" She encouraged, blue eyes sparkling as she pumped her fist. "The first day, let alone year, is, like, always difficult for a new teacher! I'm sure that as soon as you get your bearings, you'll teaching those little brats in no time!"

I really wanted to believe in Iris’ optimistic words. I really, _truly_ did and some part of me actually was. Yet, the ever-growing pessimistic part of me was dully saying how it was going to be impossible.

* * *

Despite my thoughts, though, it seems Iris was on to something. The next hour was by far the most pleasant I've had since I've began teaching at this school. Not to say that it wasn't terrible, just an extremely milder kind of terrible. I had managed to keep the class in some semblance of order longer than usual, but that promptly ended when a couple of kids from class '2-12' decided to burst in and shoot at all of us (including the students) with water guns. This, in turn, lead to my students pulling out their own water guns (at this point, I stopped caring about where they were hiding them. I was only comforted by the fact that they weren't bebe guns anymore) and going to war with the class. It took half an hour to get all that madness sorted out and, in the end, the other teachers and I decided to cancel lessons for the day and send the kids off to go play outside until school ended. Oh well, maybe tomorrow would be better? I grimly noted that I've started to sound like a broken record when it came to that hopeful statement.

So, now that I had the rest of the day for free time (and to dry off), I decided to take advantage of the situation and write out a plan. This madness couldn't go on like this anymore! There was too little productivity and too much anarchy! My co-workers had already given up hope on these kids and some have even expressed that they were going to quit by the end of the week, so it was all up to me to find some type of stability and order in this mad jungle they call a school. If I were really going to be working here, (and I was damn sure going to) then I had to have a game plan. Today was Monday and Mondays mean fresh starts!

I found a nice, black gazebo on top of a hill that overlooked the entire playground, sat down, and placed all of my work and plans onto the table.

First I started with the students themselves.

We taught around 36 kids in class ‘2-13’. While all of them were menaces in their own right, 12 students in particular stood out the most. I had taken the liberty of dubbing the group the _"Demonic Dozen"_ , a namesake most fitting if I say so myself.

I pulled up the class roaster on my Ipad (which were given to all teachers) and began to organize all the students into certain groups, giving them specific character traits that I've noticed about them over the days. Even as I typed, I could both hear and see the chaos the 12 were making down below.

My eyes trailed over the sea of kids who were clad in the 2p! variant of the school's uniform. To contrast with Hetalia Academy's predominantly bright clothing, Akutalia's students wore black and blue for the boys and black and red for the girls. To add to it, each student had a small pin of their countries flag which was pinned over the spot where their heart was (I had thought this was a cute and creative little thing! I’ve always been a fan of anything that allowed people to embrace and represent their cultures~).

My sight eventually wandered over to where there was loud cheering and I could see that a group of boys were playing baseball, with a certain one was coming up to bat. He had messy, auburn hair with a little cowlick, unique crimson colored eyes partially concealed behind black sunglasses, and a bandage on his nose. He wore the 2p! boy's uniform, modified to fit his style and consisting of a black-brown bomber jacket with a radioactive symbol on the back, a white open dress shirt over a dark blue T-shirt, black plaid pants, and a pair of beat up tennis shoes.

"EASY OOOUUUUTTTT!" An unknown boy, probably from another class, called out with a nasty smirk, obviously mocking the other and getting a round of laughter from his peers. This consequently caused the boy to narrow his red eyes into a fierce stare and to give an aggressive snarl.

One of the kids tossed the ball over towards the batter and from the pissed off look in the boy's face, I had a bad feeling that this wasn't going to end well. With a _'Woosh!'_ and a sharp _'Clang!'_ , the ball went flying. Well, not up into the air, but straight towards the student who had yelled "Easy out!" earlier. I could see the shock and fear in the boy's eyes as the ball hit him straight in the nose and sent him flying back a few feet.

Half of the boys laughed while the other "Ooohed" and winced in sympathy from the pain the kid was obviously in. The one who injured him, though, gave a sharp toothed grin of satisfaction, patting his bat on to his shoulder.

This charming young man was named Allen T. Jones and he was one of my rowdier students. He had that bold and brash American attitude with a Jersey accent and a vernacular of the gangsters common there. There was never a time where I didn't hear him cussing someone out, yelling at someone, beating someone up, etc., etc. He seemed to have a fond interest in that bat of his, but he also enjoyed pulling out his paint gun every so often. He was also the one of the students that showed me the least amount of respect.

I sighed, shaking my head as the boy that Allen assaulted was being carted off to the infirmary by some other teachers. They passed by two other boys who only watched the scene in disinterest. These two just so happened to also be a part of my roster so I began jotting them down as well.

To the left was James Williams, a Canadian who had blond hair that was put into a ponytail and a long stand of hair that bounced every time he moved. His uniform consisted of a white open dress shirt over a dark blue tank top, a black open blazer, black plaid slacks, a pair of black snow boots, and black sunglasses that covered his sleepy violet eyes. He looked remarkably similar to Allen, the two being fraternal twins. James was a boy I would consider to be mature for his age and he actually didn't cause a lot of trouble...when calm that is. However, as soon as someone interrupts his nap or annoys him, it was a whole other violent story. 

Next to him was a boy with messy, pure white hair and equally tired red eyes, a small scar across his cheek, and (sadly enough) a prosthetic right arm (there have been rumors about how the boy lost his arm, but all of them varied in uncertain validity). He wore the black blazer, a dark blue hoodie, and black plaid pants that covered his black boots. His name was Klaus Beilschmidt (I had asked Mr. Beilschmidt if he knew Klaus, but he had been hesitant to confirm any relation), and he was the older brother of another one of my other students. He was also mute and only seemed to communicate with his brother or James (the two were quite close, I noted with a fond smile). He didn't cause anywhere near the trouble as his younger brother did, electing to sit on the side and keep out of the way.

Those two seemed to be minding their own business, so my eyes scoped out to look for any more of my other students. It didn't take long until I found some, both of which who made me shift in my seat uncomfortably.

A Chinese boy with messy, shoulder length black hair and fox like red eyes stood snickering at a funny (at least to him) sight. He was wearing a white, sleeveless chángshān shirt under a black sweater with long sleeves that went far past his hands, black plaid pants, black and dark blue slippers, and a military like hat. His name was Wang Xiao and he was, by far, one of my more sinister students. He was also an older brother of another student of mine, but even a blind man could tell that it wasn't a healthy relationship. His short stature and feminine attributes made him out to be harmless, but I only needed to be around him for five minutes _top_ to realize how much of a sadistic little demon he was. Even now, he was laughing at the unfortunate student who had crossed paths with his more than intimidating companion.

Viktor Braginsky held no mercy in his impassive, crimson red eyes as he held up a student (who looked close to passing out in fear and a lack of air) in the air by the front of his shirt. The towering, wavy haired brunet wore a knee length black, modified blazer, a blue-gray, tattered scarf, and black plaid pants tucked into dark grey lace up boots. The Russian was as scary as he looked, often able to intimidate even the security guards. He rarely, if ever, spoke but when he did, it was usually cold and curt, like clean cut ice. He and Xiao were surprisingly close though he could get annoyed at his clinginess. The duo made quite the formidable pair though, as did most of the kids did when in their little "groups".

I sighed at the poor student's predicament, wanting to go help him, but knowing it was pointless (looks like he made the fatal mistake of taunting Viktor, as many ignorant, yet prideful 2p! students tended to do). Besides, he seemed to be done with the terrified out of his wits boy and unceremoniously dropped him to the ground, walking away with a snickering Xiao without another word. I watched the duo pass by a group of three, of which I recognized immediately.

One of them was another unbelievably tall, olive skinned boy who had messy black hair put in a small ponytail with a unique stain of white on his front bangs and sharp brown eyes. He wore a white dress shirt with the top few buttons unbuttoned, black plaid slacks, another black, knee-high modified blazer, and black and dark blue pirate like boots. His name Andres Fernandez Carriedo, a Spanish boy who was another one of my quieter students. That didn't mean the he didn’t' have a temper. No, quite the opposite in fact! He just preferred not to waste energy being outwardly angry all the time. There were a select few students who didn't earn his wrath on a daily business, two of them being the ones that sat next to him.

One was a French boy by the name of François Bonnefoy. He had unkempt dirty blond hair and an equally messy uniform with a white dress shirt, a black oversized sweater, black plaid pants, and black shoes. Out of all of my students, he was the easiest to handle, but this was only because he was the laziest out of all of them. Even now, he was lying under a shady tree, snoozing away like his life depended on it. He was another emotionally stunted kid, not bothering to waste energy by doing virtually anything. That was certainly going to be a bad habit to break...

Then finally, in the middle of the two boys’ and cheerfully chatting Andres's ear off while dressing up a Barbie doll in some clothes was one of my most cheerful students named Flavio Vargas. He was a short haired blond boy with a cute little curl (that oddly reminded me of Mr. Julius') and fuchsia colored eyes. He wore the 2p! girls’ uniform which consisted of a black, frilly pinafore dress over a white dress shirt, a black oversized blazer, a pink ribbon around his neck, white stockings, and black boots. Despite all this though, Flavio was definitely a boy. I mean, he really did look like a girl, sounded like a girl, and was dressed like a girl, but something in me was suggesting otherwise. It didn’t' help that he neither denied or confirmed it, claiming that before anything else, he was a lover of fashion!...whatever that meant. (I settled on referring to him as a "he", but if he wished to be referred to as anything else I would be happy to oblige!).

Finally, my search for the "Demonic Dozen" was almost to an end. It didn't take too long to spot the last students in question who all were over by the very top of the large jungle gym/tree house that was situated in the largest tree in the field.

 _'Of course...'_ I thought dryly, knowing that those three would pick such a place for their headquarters, especially since the leader of the trio had a narcissist complex bigger than the vain legend himself. **_He_** needed to be higher than everyone else, like a little king of the Mountain.

Honda Mikado, Lutz Beilschmidt, and Luciano Vargas: Three names that sent the entirety of the 2p! Wing staff _and_ students into shudders of fear or PTSD induced dazes. Who would've thought that three little children, kids who barely came up to my _knees_ , could induce so much fear? While the other "Demonic Dozen" were formidable in their own right, it was these three (Or the "Axis" as I had dubbed them in my mind) that _really_ made my job difficult.

I decided to start with Honda Mikado first, taking in the Japanese boy's pale features. He sat to the left of Luciano, stoically reading a book in his chair. He had short, brownish-red hair with red eyes and impeccably wore the black blazer over a white dress shirt, black plaid shorts, a black navy styled hat with gold and dark blue accents, dark blue calf high socks, black dress shoes, a blue tie, white gloves, and a dark blue cape. He had a calm and mature aura more befitting of adult military men rather than a ten-year-old child. He seemed to have a distaste for anything that wasn't orderly or proper, but he held a special, dark and twisted place in his heart of hatred for his older brother Xiao. He also believed that anything that proved to be too troublesome can easily be solved with the sharp end of his blade, which was certainly troubling. While he wasn't the rowdiest of my students, he was definitely the one who showed me the least amount of respect.

Next was Lutz, who faithfully sat to the right of Luciano while eating what looked to be a box of _Krapfen_ (a type of German doughnut) while looking out towards the playground below with a bored expression on his face. He had short, combed back wavy blond hair with light pinkish-purple eyes with dark lines beneath them. His uniform consisted of the black blazer being worn over his shoulders, a white dress shirt with the sleeves ripped off, black plaid pants tucked into black boots, a black army cap, and black leather gloves. Despite his calm personality and laziness that could rival François's, he was the hardest to get through due to him only listening to two people, his older brother Klaus and Luciano who he loyally follows his every command like some kind of guard dog/right hand man.

Speaking of the Italian, he sat on his red throne (though it was more like a comfy looking chair), looking down at all of the people on the playground with analytical magenta eyes, making sure nothing escaped his gaze nor influence. He was the fraternal, maybe even identical twin of Flavio, with the same hair style as his, but being dark brown rather than a bright blond. He wore the same uniform as Flavio as well, though he had a red ribbon around his neck, black stockings, black leather gloves, black boots, and even a cute little Bustina hat. I was also unsure of Luciano's gender and I was wondering why their parents decided to dress them up as girls (maybe they've always wanted daughters or something?). Still, his cute and girly features did _nothing_ to detract from his overall menace. He was a bossy, wayward, particularly moody, and sadistic little brat with a spoiled rotten attitude and a penchant for manipulation. He had the devil's charm in recruiting followers to do his bidding and more often than not have I found myself comparing him to a mafia boss. He also made it pretty clear about how he felt towards me, if him commanding all the children to focus their tricks and attacks on me had anything to say about it.

I sighed as I finally managed to gather and organize my information. I had made a type of flow chart and categorized my students into their appropriate spots, using their school roster pictures.

At the top were Mikado, Lutz and Luciano I made sure to mark their spots black to signify their reputation (the other "DD" were marked in an urgent red, while the rest of the students were a simple grey). They were put their as they were obviously the ring leaders of the 2p! Wing (I was also damn sure that Luciano in particular had a lot to do with Akutalia exploding). They were going to be tough to get through and any wish to have a hospitable or respectful relationship with them was nothing but bleak. I’d have to start from the bottom and work my way up to the top.

I groaned tiredly, slumping back into my seat and wondering how my job had gone from teacher to military strategist (it was rather sad really). There _had_ to have been some reason as to why these kids acted so wild. Usually, behavior like this steamed from a bad home environment and their distrust and hatred for adults was especially concerning. There _had_ to be some way for me to get through to these kids and get them to trust me...

As I sat there contemplating my woeful situation, something in the corner of my eye caught my attention. I looked up and realized that it was one of my other students and the last of the "Demonic Dozen" with his marshmallow pink hair immediately cluing me in as to who the boy was. How could I have forgotten to add him?

Oliver Kirkland was one of the older kids in my class as well as the most cheerful. He and Flavio were the ones that gave me the least trouble in class and he was actually quite polite to me on a good day. I knew that as a teacher, I wasn’t supposed to think this, but at the moment he was one of my favorite students. His uniform consisted of a black blazer, a dark blue sweater, a white dress-shirt, plaid suspender shorts, a dark blue bow tie, knee high dark blue socks, and black shoes.

The more I looked at him, though, the more I noticed that something seemed...off about him today. For instance, he was by himself, sitting in the sand box and absently drawing pictures in the sand with a stick. This came as a surprise as he usually would be with his step-brothers Alan, James, and François. Another thing that caught me off guard was the sad look in his eyes and the down turned pout to his normally smiling face.

These observations led me to worry. I had never seen Oliver look so...down before. Could something have happened?

My concerns getting the better of me (as usual), I decided to take a break from my planning to go over and talk to the him, seeing no harm in asking about his well-being. Besides, my goal was to try and get closer to my students, so I thought that maybe talking with some of the friendlier kids of the "DD" would be a good way to start.

Sound objective in mind, I gathered my things and began to make my way down the hill towards him.

* * *

_**Thanks for Reading~!** _


	6. Swear Jars and Super Villains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which (F/n) manages to get closer with two of her students.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**August: Monday 4th, 20XX~** _

* * *

It didn’t take long for Oliver to notice my approach and he quickly wiped away his frown, looking up at me with that familiar toothy grin of his.

"G'day Ms. (L/n)!" He called out with a cheery Cockney accent, adjusting his large glasses that were falling down his nose. "Lovely afternoon innit~?"

I couldn't help but smile at his greeting as I went over and bent down to be more at his level. "Hello Oliver! Are you doing alright? You seem a little…down..."

"Down?" He asked, tilting his head questioningly. "I'm not down, Ms. (L/n)! I'm feelin’ fine!"

If it were anyone else or any other time, I would've believed him and just wrote it off as me being tired or overly cautious. But because it wasn't either of those, I could tell that he wasn't completely telling the truth. He was indeed smiling, but it wasn't reaching his eyes...

"You know..." I began, kneeling in the sand next to him. "I know that we haven't known each other for long, but I want you to know that it's okay for you to talk to me if something's bothering you."

Oliver gazed up at me with those round, baby blues of his, flecked with hot pink and resembling a particularly enchanting gemstone. I remembered when I first saw his eyes and how I couldn't help but think how pretty they were. They shone in intrigue and even some slight suspicion, which I couldn't fault him for having. Even I had trouble opening up to others, so it was understandable that he didn't trust me right off the bat.

"I'm not trying to rush or force you to tell me anything, mind you. Just that if you need to talk about anything, I'm willing to listen." I assured, trying to keep my voice as soothing and gentle as possible. "My mother always told me that it isn't good to bottle up your feelings."

"What d’ya mean by "bottle up ya feelings"? How can ya bottle up how ya feelin’?" He asked, slightly awed at this apparent phenomenon. I tapped my chin in thought, trying to come up with a way to properly explain the saying.

"Well...say that you have a bottle of soda and you start to shake it." I began, "When you shake it, all these bubbles start to come up and start to pack themselves in the bottle. Do you know what will happen if there are too many bubbles in the bottle?"

"Oh! Oh!" He cried, looking eager to answer the question. "I know! It happened to James after Allen shook up his fizzy drink to prank him! The drink gets really foamy and shoots out da bottle!"

"That's correct!" I cheered and he looked quite pleased to know that he said the right answer. "And if that's correct, do you know what will happen if you bottle up your feelings?"

Oliver hummed to himself, lost in thought for a few moments. His mind seemed to be connecting the dots until he finally came to a conclusion.

"If I bottle up me feelings...does that mean...?" He trailed off before looking up at me in horror. "I'll explode?!"

"That's right~!" I answered before quickly realizing what he said. "Wait-no, what?" Panic began to set in for the both of us now. It wasn't my intention to make him to think that he would explode! "No, no, no! You won't explode Oliver!"

He gave a huge sigh of relief at my clarification and I silently berated myself for speaking before thinking. I had to get rid of that habit of mine...

"What I meant Oliver, is that if you were to bottle up your feelings, it would only hurt you more. It's not like you'll really explode or anything, but it can make you feel sadder than you originally were."

Oliver seemed to be carefully deliberating my words and I felt anxious about the conclusion he could come to this time. What if I weren't making sense or gave him the wrong impression again? I wasn’t the best speaker in the world and sometimes, words were hard to come by...

"I think...Mummy used to tell me somethin’ similar..." He mused, placing a tiny fist to his mouth in thought. "Before the blokes in white took her to the happy place..."

I gave a delayed start at that, trying to comprehend the connotations of his words. While what he said was innocent enough, I felt an inkling of unease at the whole "Men in white" and "Happy place" statements...

"...I...I see..." I trailed off unsurely before perking back up. Maybe I was just reading into things too much? There probably wasn't anything more to it...maybe..."Well, your Mummy was right! I don't think she would like it if you hurt yourself, so if you feel comfortable with telling me or even calling your mother to tell her, then just ask!"

"Well~" He drawled, tilting his head left and right in thought, before giving an enthusiastic nod. "Alrighty then! Ya seem like a nice lady Ms. (L/n) and ya make funny faces all the time, so ya can't be a meanie!"

"Ah, thank you Oliver." I nodded, though I could feel a thrum of self-consciousness trickle in the back of my mind. What did he mean that I make funny faces all the time? Was I looking like a weirdo without even realizing it?! "Why...why don't you start by telling me what’s wrong and we can try to fix the problem then?"

"Well, it's not like it's a biiiig problem..." He admitted, rocking back and forth in the sand with his hands in his lap. "It's just that Allen and James keep using naughty words around me, even though they know that I don't like it..."

"Oh my..." I muttered, starting to get a good idea as to why he seemed so down. One thing I noted about Oliver is that he seemed to have a distaste for swearing, him usually being the only one to reprimand the others for using them more than I did. "I'm sorry Oliver, I wish that I could tell them to stop swearing around you..." And I truly meant that. What I wouldn’t' give to be able to make my classroom a safe and comfortable environment for all my students, but with how chaotic things were, it was going to be a long while before that could happen, much to my frustration.

"It's fine Ms (L/n)! " He chirped out with a toothy grin. "I may not like naughty words like that, but I'm used to them! Daddy used to say them all the time before Mummy sent him away..."

...I’m, not going to read too much into that either (I had too much on my mind already). Oliver shouldn't have to be uncomfortable because of my lack of control of my classroom. I had to come up with a plan...

Ah~ what should I do? I doubted the kids would listen to me anytime soon, but they may listen to someone that they know and trust. Another student perhaps? But once again, that was a miracle in itself. The 2p! kids were often competitive and prideful with each other, so they would only listen to someone that they truly feared, like Luciano and his friends.

My eyes slid over to Oliver who was giving me a curious tilt of his head, probably wondering why I had gotten quiet all of a sudden. I didn't know much about how kids felt around Oliver, but I did know that many of them found him creepy for some reason. Would that be enough to get them to listen to him? Hmm, probably not. There needed to be a bigger incentive, something else that would make them hesitant to curse around him-wait a minute!

"I got it!" I cheered with an enlightened smile, bumping my fist into the palm of my hand while Oliver tilted his head to the other side questioningly.

"Got what Miss (L/n)?" He asked, looking at my hands to see if I physically had something in them.

"I got an idea Oliver!" I answered with an excited smile before reaching out my hand to him. "I would like you to come with me for a moment, if that's alright with you?"

Oliver looked up at me with wondering eyes, excited at the prospect of what I had in mind. It didn't take him long to give me a cheerful nod and to take my hand after standing up and brushing off the sand from his shorts. With an indulgent smile, I led Oliver across the playground and let the other teachers know that I was going back to the classroom.

When the two of us made it inside (I side-noted with an impressed hum that most of the damage in the classroom had been cleaned up and repaired. If there was one thing about this school, it was that they had the best damn janitors in the country), I instructed Oliver to take a seat at a nearby table while I hustled over to the arts and crafts cabinet.

"What are we doin’ Ms. (L/n)?" He inquired as he watched me pull out an array of crafting materials.

"Well Oliver," I began, moving back and forth from the cabinet and the table to drop off supplies. "I have come up with something that might make the other kids stop cursing around you!"

"Really?!" He asked, eyes sparkling at the very idea. "How?! How?! How?!"

"Well, well, well~! We're going to make a Swear Jar!" I finally declared, holding a mason jar in my hand and closing the cabinet with my foot. "You'll be in charge of it so whenever you hear your brothers or any of the other kids curse, they'll have to put their money or candy into the jar as payment!" Of course, there was the high chance that they'll just refuse to do so, but I hoped that they would be too scared of Oliver to do so.

Said boy seemed awed at the idea, his hands covering the giddy smile on his face. "Really?! Can we really do that Ms. (L/n)?"

I gave him a confident grin, placing the jar down before crossing my arms proudly. "Hmph! Of course, we can! I am the teacher after all."

"But I don't know how to make a Swear Jar..." He added a little sheepishly which did nothing to diminish my good mood.

"Don't worry! I practically bleed Pinterest DIYs and I'm always looking at them on YouTube!" I assured him, giving the victory sign accompanied by bright sparkles and fanfare. "If there's anything that you're unsure about or if you need help, I'll be there to teach you! So, let's make the best Swear Jar anyone's ever seen!"

Once again, Oliver adopted an awed expression on his face. He soon broke out into that bright smile of his and began to pump his fist in excitement. "Okay!"

The two of us spent the rest of the time making the Swear Jar and I felt happy at the fact that I got to know Oliver better through the experience. One thing that I learned was that he had a whopping _six_ brothers, three of which were his step-brothers (Allen, James, and François) and the other half were fully blood related to him. He loved to bake and used to help in his mother’s old bakery all the time before she went to the "happy place"'. He also adored cute things and loved pastel colors. It was an uplifting experience, finally getting to have a normal, peaceful connection between one of my students and I!

Time seemed to fly by and soon enough, the bell rang. School was now officially over and all the students would be coming into the classroom to gather their things and get picked up. I looked over at Oliver's jar and couldn't help but gush a little at it. I had given him a blue tinted jar and he had painted on cute little sweets on the surface and adorned it with white lace. I didn't even have to help him much, only writing down the label "Swear Jar" in near lettering. He was a natural at this stuff and the sweet giggle that he gave me when I told him so warmed my heart.

Soon, the swarm of rambunctious kids flooded into the room, all of them chattering loudly, or arguing with each other. Two boys in particular fit perfectly into the latter category as I was able to hear their volatile exchange from across the room. I turned to see James and Allen were practically at each other’s throats, insulting each other and cursing up a storm. The other kids gathered around the shouting match but made no move to get closer for fear that they would get caught up in the inevitable carnage.

 _‘Jeez, did these kids take a class in cursing?’_ I flinched a little when the cursing started to get more explicit (I don’t think that was an appropriate place to put a hockey stick!). I turned to look at Oliver who was wearing a sour frown, clutching the jar in his hands tightly. I bent down to his size and patted his shoulder, giving him a warm, and encouraging smile when he looked to me unsurely.

"You'll be fine Oliver, all you have to do is go over and tell them to pay to the jar for swearing. I'll even go over with you if you want."

Oliver blinked up at me with bright eyes before they took on a more determined gleam. He quickly shook his head, glasses almost flying off of his face with the fast movement. "No! It's okay Ms. (L/n)! I can handle it on me own!" He declared confidently, quickly pushing his glasses up into place before going back to hold the jar with two hands.

I smiled softly before standing up and taking a few steps back, leaving him room to do his thing. "Well okay then!" I chirped out before giving him two thumbs up. "Good luck!"

Oliver gave me a big smile (showing off the little gap in his top two front teeth) and nodded before he began to make his way over towards his still bickering stepbrothers.

"Allen! James!" He called out to them in a stern tone, attracting the attention of the other kids in the room as well as his brothers. "What have I told ya about using naughty words like that?!" He asked with a huff before meaningfully gesturing the jar towards their faces. "For using bad words, ya have to pay to the Swear Jar!"

The two looked confused at first, looking between the jar and Oliver, but soon their bewildered expressions melted to reveal annoyed glares. Uh oh, that’s not good. I grew nervous at the oncoming refusal they were going to show. I just hoped Oliver wouldn't cow under their intimidating glares...

"Ha?!" Allen growled in agitation, rudely pushing the jar away from his face. "What the hell are ya babblin' about now Oliver?"

"You two were saying bad words!" He repeated with a pout (that was almost too cute to bear). "So now ya have to pay to the jar with money or candy as punishment!"

"The hell?!" Allen cried out in dismay, he and James hackles raising at the idea. "I ain't payin' to some stupid jar! My bills is stayin' with me!"

"And there's no way in hell I'm giving you my candy." James grumbled lowly, narrowing his eyes in distaste.

 _‘Uh oh, that’s really not good!’_ I could feel panic build up in me as the two began to make aggressive movements towards Oliver! I was preparing to run over and stop the boys from doing anything rash, but I stopped short at what happened next.

To my immense shock, Oliver reached into is sweater vest and pulled out some safety scissors (a pair that I recognized him using earlier when decorating the jar) and pointed them threateningly at his brothers with a speed that I couldn't quite keep up with. A startled hush fell upon the room as everyone stared at Oliver with wide eyes, shivering a little when the temperature seemed to go down and the lights seemed to flicker and dim.

Oliver giggled in a somewhat manic manner and U could've sworn his eyes were swirling with pink spirals. "Hehe~! Well if ya don't wanna pay using yer money or candy~!" He began, taking a daunting step forward which subsequently made his younger brothers take a hasty step back. **_"Then ya could always pay with yer blood~!"_**

Allen and James were colored in a pallid shade of terror, both of them breaking into cold sweats and trembling under Oliver’s intimidating stare. They didn't waste any time to dig into their pockets and toss every cent and sweet they had on their person into the jar before hightailing it as far away from him as possible.

 _‘Holy shitake mushrooms.’_ That was so scary, that I didn’t even want to risk cursing in my head for fear that he could hear it! I couldn't believe what I had just seen and by the frightened looks on my students faces, neither could they. Oliver seemed oblivious to the fear he had just instilled into the classroom and he soon returned to his sweet and cheerful self. He turned around and happily skipped over to me, any kid in his path practically throwing themselves out of it, not wanting to face the wrath his brothers experienced.

"Look Ms. (L/n), I did it!" He proudly proclaimed, looking up at md with his now normal blue eyes. "I got Allen and James to pay to the Swear Jar!"

I was still shaken by what had just happened, but I couldn't help but soften my expression when I saw how happy Oliver was at his achievement. While his methods were... _shocking_ , to say the least, I had to admit that I was impressed. He handled the situation better than I thought he would and without any casualties (baring some mental scaring) so in my book, it was a success!

"Very good Oliver! I knew you could do it!" I congratulated him, bending down to face him better while giving his hair a quick ruffle. He giggled at the action, looking pleased and hugging the jar closer to his chest. I squealed eternally at the cute action, unable to believe someone so harmless looking could be so scary. Still, just as a precaution...

"You did a good job getting them to pay Oliver, though I think you should try asking people more…nicely next time." I advised. "And you shouldn't use scissors that way. You might hurt someone or yourself!"

Oliver didn't seem to see anything wrong with what he did, but he nodded nevertheless. "Okay Ms. (L/n)!"

I sighed a little at the fact, but I still gave him an endearing look. He’ll catch on soon...maybe...hopefully?

* * *

_**August: Tuesday 6th, 20XX~** _

* * *

A wise man once said, _“You’d think that silence would be peaceful. but really, it’s painful.”_ Who was this wise man you may ask? I didn't know, but what I did know that this was probably the most awkward silence I have ever experienced in my life.

I was currently dusting off and reorganizing a bookshelf, a light grimace on my face as I darted my eyes towards the irate five-year-old to my left.

Allen T. Jones was sweeping the floor with more force than I thought was really necessary, grumbling and muttering what I sure were curses aimed towards me.

You see, the morning had started off on a sour note for both Allen and me. The kids were outside and playing like they usually did before school started and they had to come inside. I had just entered the classroom and set my stuff down when a sudden, loud _CRASH!_ nearly spooked me out of my skin. Looking up, I saw that a nearby window had just been shattered. The culprit? A lone baseball that sat guilelessly in a pool of glass shards.

I had quickly made my way to the window (taking care not to cut myself) and looked outside to see a group of students who were playing baseball was looking at the broken window with various expressions. As soon as they saw me, though, all eyes immediately turned towards Allen in a motion that clearly spelt out his guilt. It didn't help that he had a baseball bat in his hands at that moment, especially when he tried to hide it behind his back while whistling a guiltless tune in an almost cartoonish fashion

Though I knew it was fruitless, I had to come up with a suitable punishment for the Allen. When I told the other teachers this, they gaped at me like I had lost my mind. I was actually planning on _punishing_ him? They had pretty much accepted the fact that the 2p! kids could break virtually anything at the school and manage to get away with it through the fear of them or their families. I, on the other hand, was serious about taking control of the classroom, tiring of having it run by a bunch of renegade toddlers!

So, with that in mind, I had promptly stalked over to where Allen was standing, a bored look settled on his face as he waited for us to finish discussing.

"Can I go now?" He asked with a scowl, probably wondering why he was still being detained.

I gave Allen a careful look, trying to figure out a way to get through this without a huge temper tantrum on his part. Agh, this was going to end badly~!

Finally, I just sighed and crossed my arms, trying to school my face to be as stern as possible. "You can go in a second Allen, but I'm afraid that I can't let you go without a proper punishment."

His eyes widen in shock at my words, looking at me like I had suddenly started speaking piglatin. "What the hell are ya talkin' about?! _Punishment?!"_ He cried out and I just nodded my head at him.

"That's right. Out of all the students in this class, _you_ have been the one who has caused the most damage alone!"

"Nuh-uh! You lyin'!" He challenged with a huff, stomping his foot at the apparent injustice.

I leveled a mild stare at him. "Oh really?" I went over to my desk and picked up my Ipad. I swiped through the class roster and notes until I got to Allen's designated page and began to read out the contents as I walked back over to him.

"Ever since I started working here about a week ago, I have cataloged every time one of you guys have broken something in or out of the classroom. You alone have broken three TVs, five action figures, two Hot Wheel tracks, the seesaw, your group table, twenty pencils, and the various bones of some of your classmates and even one of the teachers."

Said teacher, who’s name was Jason, self-consciously rubbed at the cast on his arm (the poor guy had the unfortunate luck of getting caught up in a disagreement between Allen and Viktor), but nobody payed him much mind, warily looking at Allen's reddening face as he was getting angrier and angrier.

"I don't care!" He yelled up at me defiantly, his Jersey accent becoming heavier in anger. "You can't give me no damn punishment!"

"Oh yes I can." I leaned down a little to send him a smile. "I am the teacher after all and as long as it is in reason, what I say goes. So, I hope you're not planning anything fun for recess later because _you're_ staying inside to help tidy up the classroom~!"

Allen looked as if he had seen Santa Claus and his sleigh get shot down by a missile launcher, subsequently leading to Christmas getting canceled. He only gaped up at me, as if in shock.

Of course, this only lasted so long before he completely lost it. He had unleashed a torrent I every curse and explicitive he could think of, combining words together to form insults I had heard before or never thought could be verbally inflected (just where in the _hell_ did he get such a vocabulary from?!). He yelled at and argued with me until he was blue in the face, though I still held strong. I wasn’t going to back down, but unfortunately, neither was he.

It wasn't until all the kids came back into class did I finally get a break. Oliver had happened to hear what was going on and while the other students were staring at the spectacle in amusement or intrigue, he decided to intervene. Oliver's newly instilled fear was still fresh in everyone’s mind, especially his little brothers, so after a little talking (or, more accurately to say, _threatening_ ) Allen had begrudgingly accepted the punishment and walked away, though he did take every chance he could get to glare daggers into my soul.

I felt a little pathetic to have to rely on a child to take control of my classroom, but desperate times calls for desperate measures. Besides, Oliver seemed only too happy to help me out and I was glad to see that he was warming up to me since our bonding experience yesterday.

And so now here we were, cleaning up the room and drowning in an awkward silence. I expected this of course. There was no way he _wouldn't_ be upset with me! Even now, he was still grumbling under his breath with a pit bull's aggression.

"Stupid...tich...makin' me stay insides while...ucks get to play....some ol' bullshit..." Was what I could catch from his ranting. I winced. He was going to rant himself hoarse at this rate! May~be I should try and break the tension???

"...So~, Allen..." I began, putting on my most friendly smile. "How have-?"

I couldn't even finish my sentence before Allen sent me a look so fierce, it could have ignited dynamite. I shut my mouth before I could say something that would _really_ set him off. It was going to be a stupid question, anyway, asking him how he was doing. It was pretty damn obvious that he wasn't doing all right at all!

 _‘Kids these days sure are scary…’_ I gave a morose sigh as I placed the last book into the bookshelf, finished with the reorganizing. This was going absolutely nowhere...I cast a side long look at Allen and bit my lip in thought. What could I do to get him to warm up to me? His anger made the task near impossible, but there had to be some way to earn his trust!

Maybe...start with things that he liked? That could work...what did little boys like though? I tried thinking back to what my foster brothers enjoyed doing. _Hot wheels, Power Rangers_ , video games, _Ninja Turtles, Dragonball Z_ , sports...there were so many to choose from! What are the odds that I’ll chose something he likes and that I know a lot about?

I studied him some more, trying to find something that might clue into his interest. It took me a few moments, but something eventually did catch my eye.

I could spot a color of red sewed into his bomber jacket and I realized that it was a _Deadpool_ patch. A sense of enlightenment clubbed me in the head and I tried hard to conceal my growing smile. _Deadpool_! Of course! A maniac like Wade Willson was sure to appeal to a kid like Allen. Now that I thought about it, I could also recall him having a _Deadpool_ backpack as well, so it wouldn't be a stretch to say that he had an interest in the _Marvel_ anti-hero.

Proud of myself at the discovery, I went to put my plan into motion. I casually made my way to mu desk, trying to look nonchalant and non-suspicious as possible. As I went to pass Allen, I made my move!

"So~are you excited to see the new _Deadpool_ movie coming out?" I casually asked, giving a victory dance in my head when I saw his scowl melted into pleasant surprise. He stared at me with wide eyes before he quickly narrowed them in suspicion.

"Why do ya' wanna know?" He demanded. I shrugged and sent him a pleasant smile.

"Just curious! Me and my friends are going to go and see it and we got tickets for opening weekend."

" _You're_ going to see _Deadpool_?" He asked doubtfully, putting the broom down and crossing his arms. "Hell, I’m surprised was even know what Marvel and DC is…"

I pouted at his skeptical look, honestly offended at the accusation. "Hey! While I may be a teacher, I'm not some old lady from the stone age! I used to read the comics that my older brother hid under his bed when he wasn't home!" Of course, there were...other comics under there, but I tried to block out those traumatic memories. "I've been watching superhero movies, including the first _Deadpool_ , and animated series since before you were even born Mr.!" Oh God, I really did sound like an old lady there...

Hearing this, Allen's suspicion seemed to turn into cautious interest. In retrospect, he must've thought the situation odd, knowing that his teacher liked something that he like and it had nothing to do with school.

"Hm...Me and my Uncles went to see the last _Deadpool_ too." He admitted, and I forgot my petulant annoyance in my shock at the fact that he had continued to keep the conversation going! "And we got to see some other stuff too!"

"Really?" I asked, not wanting to ruin it by being too eager. Things were going well and I didn’t want to mess it up now!

"Yeah..." He mumbled, turning away to hide his face from my view. It was all in vain though, as I could still see the red on his cheeks and the happy smile on his face. "It was really fun since I don't get to see ‘em all that much..."

"I see~!" I chimed, mentally storing that last bit of information for later. "Are you're Uncles taking you to see any other movies soon?"

"Yep! They managed to get a day off of work this weekend, so we're all going to the drive in and get some hoagies!" He replied in a cheerful manner, a peculiar far cry from his usual hostile attitude. I don’t think I ever seen such a happy smile on his face before. He must’ve really enjoyed hanging out with his uncles…

I softened my smile at his words before deciding to take the conversation one step forward. I pulled out one of the nearby chairs at the kids table and carefully sat down in the tiny seat, taking care not to fall off of it

"Alright then! So, I know you like superheroes, but what else do you like?" I hazard asking, feeling anxious when I saw Allen give me a hesitant look. I was probably pushing it, but I was ecstatic at how peaceful our conversation was going and wished for more. I just hoped I didn't blow it...

Allen continued to look uncertain before he frowned, red eyes narrowing a little bit. "I don't like superheroes!" He snapped, roughly pulling out the chair in front of me and sitting down in it with a huff. "I like super _villains_! They're _way_ more awesome than those pansy good guys!"

This time, I couldn't contain the large grin on my face and I even laughed a little, happy that Allen seemed to want to talk to me some more. "Really now? But why's that?! Isn't _Deadpool_ a superhero?"

"Nuh-uh!" Allen argued back, shaking his head. "He's an Ant-hero, _duh_! That means he ain't no hero!"

"I think you mean Anti-hero," I corrected nicely before looking up with a thoughtful smile. "Though I have to say that I see where you're coming from. I know I like certain villains more than certain heroes. like the Joker or Moriarty from _Sherlock_. Villains really have that special kind of coolness, don’t they?"

"Right?!" He cried out excitedly, jumping a little in his seat. "Like, villains know what's up! They don't have ta follow stupid rules and they can do whatever they want!"

"That's true, but maybe it's the teacher in me that says that I don't mind a few rules here or there." I admitted, chuckling at the disgusted look he sent me in return.

The two of us continued to converse instead of tidying up like I planned. I learned that Allen seemed to enjoy anything with violence, cursing, weapons, and more, being a fan (much to my faint horror) of rated M or NSFW games like Mortal Kombat, GTA, Modern Warfare, and Saints Row or horror movies like Friday the 13th and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (no wonder he could curse like a drunk sailor). On a more wholesome note, though, he also had a fondness for baseball, evident by the fact that he never seemed to tire of playing it at recess.

I was also becoming increasingly sure that Allen's uncles that he mentioned earlier were into some shady businesses. I had heard rumors from the staff that his family were gangsters or involved in organized crime and from how he described some of their "family outings", I couldn't say nay.

All in all, the experience was enjoyable. I was finding the strategy of getting to know each kid one on one rather than trying to control them all at once was a pretty solid one. People had power in numbers and when it came to the 2p! kids, they wanted to have power _over_ the numbers. These children all seemed intent on proving themselves to each other, to make it to the top and be the king of the playground. There was no way that they were all going to listen to authority and face looking weak in front of each other. So, to get around this block, I had to get them one by one, slowly work my way up the ranks in a manner that wouldn't draw suspicion or alert any of them as to what was happening.

Of course, my intentions weren't just to establish dominance in the class. More than anything, I simply wanted to teach. To get to know my students more and to create an environment where they all could relax and wouldn't have to feel like they needed to fight for dominance all the time. Just a place where they could act like the kids they were. That was my true goal in all of this and I will try my very best to achieve it.

Allen and I had talked so much that in what seemed like no time at all, the bell rang, signaling the end of recess. I sighed in mild fatigue, trying to mentally prepare myself for the rest of class. Thankfully, this time was the easiest as the kids usually tired themselves out enough to not cause too much chaos. Plus nap time would be coming up soon and if things went well, I could get a good hour of peace as they all slept.

"Well, it was nice speaking with you Allen." I smiled, reaching down to lightly ruffle his hair. "Thanks for straightening up the classroom with me. You really helped me out!"

Allen turned a little red before clicking his teeth and turning his head away from me. "T…T-Tch! Whatever..." He muttered, absently fixing his hair with a pout.

I sent him another kind look and turned to walk over towards my desk. I was quickly stopped, though, when I felt a tug on my clothes after I took a few steps. Uh oh, did I get caught on a nail or a corner?

Looking down, I watched in surprise as Allen held on to my clothes, looking as if he wanted to say something to me.

"H...H-hey!" He barked out, his blushing cheeks clashing with the annoyed frown on his face. "I ain't missin' anymore of my recess time! But…if you're ever bored out of your skull or somethin', I don't mind talkin' about cool stuff with ya or whatever..."

I swear, I could've died from the cuteness overload, barely holding in a squeal at the sight. He was just too sweet!

Giving him a bright smile, I nodded and gave him a quick thumbs up. "I'll keep that in mind! This job can get pretty dry when you're not fighting for your life..."

Allen brightened up greatly at this before he seemed to catch himself and schooled his expression back into a scowl. He let go of my clothes with a huff and walked away to his seat, sharply pushing away or barking at anyone in his path.

I happily watched him walk away before continuing back to my desk. While he may not have trusted me completely, I'd say this was a successful day!

* * *

_**Thanks for Reading~!** _


	7. Baby Bears and Nap Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (F/n) learns about the diet of bear cubs and to sing lullabies in French.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**August: Monday 11th, 20XX** _

* * *

I stopped short as a strange shiver ran throughout my body. _‘I sense a disturbance in the force!’_

Feeling a little disoriented, it took me a moment to realize that something…wasn't quite right. I couldn't understand _what_ wasn't right, but I was still assaulted by a sense of something being displaced, kind of like that feeling where you couldn't remember where you last placed your car keys. It was a niggling sensation that tugged incessantly at my subconscious, making me grimace.

I looked up from the work I was doing and gazed out at the active playground below, taking in the sea of students with a critical eye. Nothing...seemed out of place? The 2p! kids were as wild and raucous as always and the teachers were frazzled and exhausted as usual...yet something was amiss...

My eyes glided every which way, trying to seek out the source of my concern...was there someone missing? I didn't think so...though, it wasn't like I could tell what with the large crowd of kids running around.

After a few moments of looking for something I wasn’t sure I was looking for, I gave a light shrug and started to turn back to my work. Perhaps it was just my imagination?

It wasn't until I saw a flash of black and blue that was separated from the rest of it, did I look back up. I curiously watched as one of the students (who was a bit too far for me to discern who he was) began to walk away from the playground and head out to the edge of the large field.

I furrowed my brow at the sight, watching as the unknown male student disappeared into the dense trees that lined the perimeter of the field. The reason why the sight was so strange was because not many students dared to go into the woods of the playground, most finding it boring or being cursed. Of course I thought the latter idea was silly, but even some of my fellow co-workers rumored about how some of the students who came from cult affiliated families would go out there and have their meetings. Either way, even if those two incentives weren't an issue, the rule forbidding students from going near the campus perimeter was, which was why this was now a concern of mine. Great~

Sighing at the fact, I stood up from the stone seat of the gazebo that I now dubbed as my little seating area and gathered my things, placing them all in my bag. There was around twenty minutes left of recess, but I didn't think it would take long to reprimand the student, so I was in no rush.

I walked down the stone steps embedded in the hill and began to make my way to the trees in the very far off corner that he entered. Gah! The branches were so dense in here! It’s a wonder how anyone could get through here to hold these so called “cult meetings”.

Soon, I began to make it to the other side of the small forest, seeing slivers of light through the trees. The peaking color of blue from far off immediately clued me in on the student’s location, but when I finally got close enough to see him clearly, I stopped dead in my tracks. The sight that presented itself to me was both mind boggling and positively _adorable_.

Sitting there, in the middle of a small clearing, was James Williams who was sitting by himself (Klaus, his closest friend, was nowhere to be seen, him being absent due to a nasty cold). While that may not be something of great interest, the tiny little creature in his arms certainly was. He was holding what appeared to be a baby _polar bear_ , carefully cradling it while he feed the little guy what looked to be chunk of meat.

My jaw nearly hit the forest floor. I…I-Is that a freakin' **_polar bear_**? Where did a polar bear come from? I've never seen one in real life before, let alone in my area! And why is James holding it? Could he have brought it to school? But then, where did he find it in the first place?!

These theories and more flooded my mind, and I was too lost in my amazement to notice that I was unconsciously moving closer to the child-animal duo. It was only the sound of my foot stepping on and snapping a twig did I come to my senses.

Unfortunately for my, this also alerted James, who snapped his head up in surprise at the sound. As soon as he saw where I was standing, a low, threatening growl left his lips. Uh oh, I’ve been spotted!

"What the hell do you want?" He demanded in a dangerous tone, placing the polar bear by his side and standing up.

Seeing how this situation was going South quick, I raised my hands in surrender. "Hey now! I mean you no harm!" I cried out with a nervous smile. While James wasn't the rowdiest of my students, he was one of the scariest when angered, so it would do me no good to piss him off. "I...I was just taking a...relaxing walk!"

He shot me a harsh glare, obviously not believing or trusting me. " _Connerie_... Nobody comes over to this part of the field."

"Well there's always a first for everything. Besides, you're here as well so doesn't that mean that at least somebody comes over to this part of the field?" I countered, successfully earning a deeper scowl from the him. Shit, why did I say that?! Curse my stupid babbling of terror!

"Whatever..." He growled, his tired purple eyes looking cold and gradually incensed. "I don't have time to deal with a moron like you. _Va chier_."

While I was mildly affronted at being called a moron, I couldn't help but note James’ tense stance. While at first glance, it could have been mistaken as just him being agitated with my presence and prodding. But then I noticed that ever since I arrived, James had made sure to keep the polar bear out of my sight.

I blinked a few times before a kind smile blossomed on my face. Ah, so that was it huh? While James was certainly annoyed at my presence, he was also worried for the polar bear and what I would do if I saw it. He probably thought I would freak out and try to get it taken away or something.

"Okay, so you want me gone," I began, giving a simple shrug. "I can do that. But just so you know, I'm not going to call animal control on your little friend there, so you don’t have anything to worry about."

James looked understandably shocked at this, probably not expecting me to be so calm at the fact that he had a bear with him. I saw no harm in it, as the bear was no bigger than a puppy. It made no attempt to attack James or I either. From what I could see, it was just lazily laying its head on top of James’s right foot, dozing lightly (so cute~!).

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, clearly not trusting my words. "Liar. Do you think I'm stupid enough to believe that?"

"Of course not!" I answered, pouting now as I crossed my arms. "I'm dead serious. The little guy hasn't done anything to make me think that it’s dangerous. Besides, I hate how animal control and pounds treat the animals in their care, so I wouldn't call them on your...pet?" I ended with an unsure tone, confused on whether or not the bear was his actual pet or if he just found him on campus.

James still looked reluctant to trust me. I was fully prepared to be told to go away again, and I had no qualms of doing just that. If he felt as if he still couldn't trust me, then I would simply turn away and pretend that this never happened. It was up to him...

"...Hmph! Fine..." He finally grumbled out. Wait, what?! That was way too- "But," Wait-no, never mind. Here comes the catch.

"If you lie or tell anyone about this, and I mean _anyone_ ," He stressed, a dark warning flashing past his eyes. "Then I'll crack your skull open with my hockey stick."

While I did feel a shiver go down my spine at the rather disturbing threat, I decided to push that aside and celebrate the fact that I managed to get him to trust me, even if it was a little bit! I knew James would be one of the harder students to get close to, so every little step and any type of progress was great!

I gave the James a happy smile, probably looking like a loon as I nodded my head eagerly. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul! Scouts honor~!"

James raised a skeptical brow before scoffing and waving his hand at me in a dismissive manner. "Whatever... _Tu me gosses_. Get out of here already."

"Gotcha'! Just make sure you're not late to class~!" I reminded him after giving a quick thumbs up. I then turned around and began to make my way through the small forest, mind playing back the conversation I had just had. It was crazy to think that James had a bear with him, but I was starting to get less surprised about the eccentric things these kids did the longer I worked here. If I was completely honest, most of the students here were more dangerous than a fully-grown bear let alone a little cub so there really shouldn't be anything to worry about. I’d let James take care of the little guy in peace.

In the meantime, I had to start looking up some information on how to care for polar bears.

* * *

**_August: Tuesday 12th, 20XX_ **

* * *

"Um...(F/n)...?"

"Hm~?"

"Why...why do you have all that stuff?"

I sent my-coworker a sparkling smile, holding on to the giant bags of animal paraphernalia in my hands. "Oh! it's just a few little things for one of my classes Jason!"

"A... _few_ little things?" He repeated questioningly, raising a skeptical brow at the five large bags in my possession that looked stuffed to the point of bursting. "And just what on Earth are you planning?"

I laughed a little before wagging my finger in a teasing manner. "That's. A. Secret~! Anyway! I need for you to cover for me for morning recess while I go set this stuff up! I'll treat you to lunch as thanks!"

Jason still looked curious, but nodded none the less, the prospect of a good meal thankfully abating his need to prod further. I thanked him before quickly setting off to the forest with an excited pip in my step. I had spent most of yesterday scouring the internet and stores for any type of animal goodies to give to James and his polar bear. I was eager to make it to the clearing before him as to not agitate him with my presence anymore. I’d just go there, set up all the stuff, and leave him a little note~!

It didn't take me long to make it to the clearing and, much to my luck, James was nowhere in sight. Neither was the polar bear, which did cause some concern, but I believed James was responsible enough to ensure the cubs safety and comfort when he wasn't around.

I set down my bag and began rummaging through the first one, pulling out a green pet tent that I believed would be large enough to hold the bear and could blend in well with the surrounding foliage. It was easy enough to set up and soon I began pulling out other things that I purchased such as a dog bed, random toys, and so on. I was kind of basing the items off what dogs would play with as even after some researching, I wasn’t sure what bears actually needed. The food had been challenging as I didn't know where to get whales, narwhals, and walruses so I just settled on getting a bunch of fish and meat and hoped it would suffice.

“And~ done!” I stood up and admired my work with a proud smile. While I knew James might be irritated at my meddling, I couldn't just leave him to care for the bear with little to no resources or materials. I didn't mind spending money for the cause as while my job did come with its hazards, it tried to make up for it by the fat paycheck I would get (I would send most of it back to my mom and little siblings who still lived at the house though, as I could survive on a humble income easily).

I was just about to leave a note for James, informing him about my actions, when a rustle from a nearby bush caught my attention. Ah, perhaps the note wasn’t needed then. Could that be him?

I whipped my head around to see that a small nose was poking out of the bush, sniffing the air. Soon, the rest of the body appeared, and James’s polar bear was looking up at me with it’s little black eyes.

I froze at it’s appearance, not really sure of what I should do, and watched as the bear continued to give me a critical look.

_"..."_

"..."

_"..."_

"..."

_"Je creuver de faim..."_

"...What?"

I blinked my eyes for a few moments, feeling a little disoriented. Did...did the bear just...? No...no, it couldn't have. I must be tired or-

" _Je creuver de faim_..." The polar bear repeated in a cute, sleepy voice while narrowing it’s eyes at me a little. " _Nourris moi..._ "

The silence that filled the clearing with a tangible weight was only broken by the comical timing of the wind rustling the trees and bushes around us.

The next sound that shattered the silence was my ear-piercing scream that sent the birds in the trees off in a flurry of leaves and feathers.

I fell on my ass in shock, shakily staring at the **_TALKING_** bear with blown wide eyes. The bear just talked! The bear just spoke!! **_THE BEAR COULD FUCKING SPEAK!!!_**

"Y-Y-YOU CAN TA-TA- ** _TALK?!_** " I screamed towards the bear who only gave me a bored look before going to lick its paw.

Just as I felt like I was losing my mind, a familiar and irate voice called to me from the side. "There's no need for you to scream so damn much."

I yelped a little and turned to see James scowling at me with his arms crossed. "You're too loud... _ferme ta gueule_..."

"Bu...Bu-But!" I flailed, looking between him and the animal. "It just-the bear-IT _SPOKE_ -"

"Yeah, I noticed..." He sighed before walking over to the bear and picking it up.

" _Cette femme est bizarre_..." It spoke again, getting another tired sigh and a pat on the head in return.

" _Non, elle est juste une tata..._ " James grumbled softly before turning to look at me with a scowl. "You...what are you doing here? I thought I told you not to come here anymore?"

"I..." I stumbled, still a little dazed from what happened. "I...was just dropping some stuff off for your pet...just some things that I thought would help..."

James looked surprised at this and turned to see the little set up I made for it. He narrowed his eyes a little and turned to shoot ne a suspicious look.

"I didn't ask you to do unnecessary things. Don't think I'll pay you back because of it..."

"H...H-Huh? Oh, oh no!" I quickly corrected him, finally starting to calm down. Of course I was still blown away by the idea of a talking bear, but I resolved to just handle one oddity at a time, for the sake of my sanity. “I…just wanted to help you out a little. I don't know much about taking care of bears, but I'm sure it's hard. So, I thought that you would need some extra help...I was going to leave as soon as I was done setting up, but then...something came up..." Understatement of the god damn _century_.

James still looked doubtful, but he seemed to sense that there was no immediate threat from me. He walked towards where the tent was and placed the bear near it. The animal sniffed at it a little before deeming it safe and suitable enough to climb in and get comfortable on the plush dog bed.

I watched silently as James began looking at all the little knick-knacks that I had gotten for the bear. When he finally picked up the Tupperware of meat and fish, I decided I was calm enough to speak to him.

"I uh, I didn't really know what to get it, so I just got steak and salmon." I began, carefully standing up while absently brushing the grass from the back of my clothes. "I cut them up into small pieces so that it would be easier for it to chew. I think it would be safe for it to eat them, but I'll do some more research just to be safe."

"You..." He began, absently fiddling with the box in his hands. He stared up at me with unreadable eyes, though I couldn't help but notice that he looked very confused. "Why are you doing all of this?"

"What do you mean?" I tilted my head in confusion. This seemed to irritate James for some reason though, because he suddenly sent me a glare sharp enough to cut through a block of ice.

"You have no reason for helping me! I've done nothing to make you do this!" He snapped, grip tightening on the box to the point of denting it.

I was slightly taken aback by his hostile attitude, but I still decided to answer him, albeit warily so as to not provoke him anymore. "Well, it's just because I want to help you. You're my student after all, and it's my duty as a teacher to assist you in any way that I can!"

" _Connerie!_ " He growled out distrustfully. "The rest of the teachers here couldn't give a shit about us, so what makes me think that you do?"

I stared down at him for a few moments before I narrowed me eyes and squared my shoulders. James tensed at this, probably thinking I was going to yell at him, but he was once again seemed taken by surprise by my next words.

"I know it may be hard to believe," I began in a level tone. "But I truly do care about you all. Yes, you guys destroy everything within a five-mile radius and yes you all are as violent as a bunch of rabid dogs, but that doesn't mean I hate you. I could never hate you guys. Students are what make a teacher, so without you all, I wouldn't even be one."

I took a few careful steps towards James, not wanting to spook him by my approach, but when I saw that he was still calm, I walked closer to him until I was a few feet away. I sat on my knees to be more at level with him and I sent him a soft smile. "In a strange way, I guess I could say that I'm grateful to you all. So, maybe one of the reasons why I'm doing this is to repay you for making it possible for me to teach?"

James could only blink at my confession, looking baffled, as if he couldn't believe what he just heard. I couldn't really blame him as what I said did sound rather ridiculous. But still, that was how I truly felt...

"If you want me to leave you alone completely, then I'll do just that. But I do want you to know that if you need any help, then you can just come to me. I don't mind at all~!" I chuckled a little before standing up at full height and brushing the grass from my knees (oof, I think I heard a few cracks coming from them. I should probably stretch more). "Well, I'll be going now. Try not to be too late to class James~!"

I turned to walk away and had only gotten a few steps in before, much to my great surprise, James called for me to stop. I quickly turned to look at him, observing his flushed, yet glaring expression.

"Look," He began, crossing his arms with a little huff. "Don't get the wrong idea or anything. I'm only allowing you to help me because I need food to feed him." He then lowered his eyes to a deeper glare, gritting his teeth. "But if you continue you to nag me all the damn time, then you'll need to fuck off."

Despite the coarse language and disrespectful tone, I could feel my heart uplift in glee. I couldn't believe it, he was actually trusting me! I could barely hold back my cheer of excitement, sending him a toothy grin. For a moment, I thought that his own glare softened. Hm, perhaps it was a trick of the light

* * *

_Over the next couple of days, James and I had gradually gotten closer. It all started the following recess..._

* * *

"Does it have a name?"

James looked up from where he was watching the polar bear eat and narrowed his eyes. " _Quoi?_ "

I shrugged from where I was sitting crisscross apple sauce in front of him. "Your bear. Does it have name?"

James blinked a few times before shaking his head and turning back to observe his pet. " _Non_...never bothered to give him one..."Ah, so the bear was a he? Good to know!

I hummed, tilting my head slightly in thought. "Well, I think it would be a good idea to give the little guy a name. After all, wouldn't it be awkward to just call him _'polar bear'_ or _'you'_ all the time?"

James seemed to be considering my words before he turned towards the bear. "Hey..." He called towards the animal who looked up from the food that he was eating with a blank stare. "What do you want your name to be?"

The bear blinked up at him slowly. " _Je m’en sacre..._ "

James sighed at this while I could only sweat drop, still trying to get used to the fact that the bear could actually talk (and as far as I could tell, it had quite the vocabulary...).

"Whatever..." He mumbled, reaching over to pat the animal on the head. "I'll just name him… Kumakuro..."

"Kumakuro?” I wondered, using my extensive weeb knowledge to translate and break down the name. " _Bear_ and _Black_ huh~? That’s a nice name! But why the "Kuro" part? Wouldn't "Shiro" be better?"

" _Non_ ," James answered, giving me a firm look. " _Kuro_ sounds cooler."

I laughed a little at this before giving a simple shrug. "Whatever you say~!"

* * *

_And the next early morning, I managed to get him to open up a little more._

* * *

"So, you want to be a Mountie when you grow up?" I asked, pleasantly surprised. With how...violent the 2p! kids could be, I didn't think any of them would want to go into law enforcement.

"Un..." James grumbled, waving a feather cat toy thing at Kumakuro who was lazily batting at the toy with a growing determination. "S'not ‘cause I want to protect people or anything. I just want to protect the animals..."

"The animals?" I quietly applauded when Kumakuro finally caught the feather toy between his little paws with a clap.

James mumbled a little, trying to tug the toy out of the bear's stubborn grasp. "Yeah. A lot of poachers hunt up in the woods where I used to live, so I want to stop them."

"Well I think that's a wonderful dream James." I told him with a warm smile. "It's quite the admirable job I hear."

James blushed a little and his irritated grumblings increased. "...I...just hate how some people treat animals like crap..."

My smile brightened at that and I reached over to pat him on the head. I knew he was a good kid!

Inevitably, he began to protest the action and moved away from me but this didn't bother me much, especially when Kumakuro reached his paw out to also try to pat the James on the head, only managing to pat him on the arm instead. James stared down at the cub and grimaced.

I struggled to keep my laughter in when he picked the bear up to allow him to pat his head not a second later.

* * *

Every day, James seemed to become more at ease with my presence. He wasn't much of a talker, so what I got out of the long bouts of comfortable silence we would share was small and scattered. I learned that he played hockey, he loved animals, his favorite food was Poutine, he was a vegetarian (and that, surprisingly, Allen was a Vegan), and more. I also learned about his friendship with Klaus and how the two had initially bonded over their love for pancakes. James had taken the initiative to learn sign language so he could understand his mute friend which was honestly one of the sweetest things I had heard! James liked to put up this tough guy front, but he was really a kind and caring young man.

Our routine was pretty chill for the whole week. The class wasn't as disruptive, and I had the chance for some cool down time by playing with Kumakuro and bonding with James.

Of course, all good things couldn't last forever, and everything went south that Friday morning.

* * *

It was a dreary looking day, heralding the gradual beginnings of the Autumn season. While the weather report had said that it might rain today, the kids were still allowed to play outside for recess.

I was currently busy playing a game of double dutch with some girls in my class. Ecstatic at the rare and non-lethal offer, I had jumped in (no pun intended) immediately to join. I sent out a silent apology to James as it seemed like I was going to meet up with him late today. He hopefully won't mind too much as he'll finally get the peace and quiet he's been demanding for days now.

I was happily swinging the two ropes around (though I couldn't help but inwardly sweat drop at how...violent the jump roping songs were compared to the ones I knew when I was younger) when a flurry of movement had caught my eye.

A group of five boys were running out from the forest. I noticed that they were coming from the direction of the clearing that James and Kumakuro were usually at. My interest grew into worry when I saw that the boys looked scratched up and injured. What one earth-?

The boys hastily rushed by the girls and I, and as they passed, I could hear some snippets of their breathless conversation.

 _"Crazy bastard" "Bear"_ and _"Monster"_

At these words, I felt my worry begin to increase. Something was most definitely wrong. With the state of James and Kurokuma's wellbeing weighing heavily on my mind, I quickly excused myself from the girls and began to rush towards the forest.

I followed the familiar path to the clearing, shivering as winds that were steadily growing in strength were seeping chills through my clothes. I breathed a sigh of relief when I finally saw a glimpse of the forest clearing, but as soon as I busted through the bush to enter, I felt my whole-body shudder to a stop.

To my immense horror, I saw James sitting on the ground, curled up in a defensive ball. From what I could see, his clothes were messed up and dirty and what skin was expose was covered in cuts and bruises. My shock only paralyzed me for a few seconds before I practically teleported over to his side.

"James!" I fell to my knees when I got next to him. I gently settled my hands on his hunched over shoulders while trying to keep the waves of panic out of my voice. "Are you alright?! What happened to you? You're a mess! We need to get you to the-"

I stopped as I began to feel my hands shake. It took me a few moments, but I soon realized it was because James was trembling, and from the muffled sobs I could hear coming from him, it was definitely not because of the cold.

"James?" I asked softly, pulling him closer to me. He learned into my side easily, but he still would not unfurl from his balled-up state. When I looked closer, however, I could notice a few tufts of white poking out from his grasp.

 _‘Oh my God…’_ I let out a sharp gasp at the sight and quickly looked up and around the clearing, noticing that all of Kumakuro's stuff, such as his tent and little toys, were broken and scattered about. I quickly put two and two together and I felt my heart tighten painfully in my chest. Looking back down at my crying student, I gently regarded him once more.

"James," I began, patting his back soothingly. "Is...is Kumakuro alright?"

At this, he twitched violently as his cries grew a bit louder. Slowly and carefully, James unfurled from his hunched-up position, allowing me to get a better look at the cub.

My heart constricted to the point of nearly breaking. I was so used to seeing Kumakuro being a lazy bones and sleeping the day away whenever he had the chance. If it weren't for his labored breaths and blood matted fur, I would have thought he was snoozing like usual.

" _Maudit bâtards_..." James hiccupped in a hoarse whisper. "They were...trying to hurt him when I got here. I...I got mad and started to fight them, but then Kumakuro got mad and bit one of them in the leg..."

His sobs grew more at this point and he held the little bear tighter, as if he were afraid he would disappear if he were to let go. "He...he kicked Kumakuro really...really hard and he hit a tre-tree! He...Kumakuro didn't get up and I thought...he was!" James' cries kept him from finishing his sentence, but I understood him all the same. He probably thought that Kumakuro...

"I...I couldn't protect him..." He whimpered, finally looking up at me with teary, violet eyes. The gusty winds blew past the two of us somberly, and the grey overcast seemed to simulate James's down heartened mood. "I...I don't want him to die Madame (L/n)...I don't...don't want him to die!"

At his tearful proclamation, I hugged him closer to me as the cloying sensation of guilt filled my chest. Could this all have been prevented if I had gone to the clearing as planned instead of playing double dutch? It was a conflicting emotion. I wanted to be there for all of my students, but this just proved that I couldn't even get that right...but, I would rectify my mistakes. I would make this up to James in any way that I could.

Face settling into a determined look, I stood up while carefully holding on to him and Kumakuro. I sent him a warm smile when he looked up at me sadly. "Don't worry James. I promised that I would help you keep Kumakuro safe and healthy. I'll make sure you and him will get better, so just hold on a little longer, okay?"

James sniffled a little before he gave a slow nod and buried his face into my shoulder. I gave him a comforting pat on the back before I quickly began to make my way back to the school. Of course, nothing completed a bad mood without some rain. Cursing the heavens that poured down their wrath, I picked up the pace while trying to keep the two in my arms as dry as possible.

Needless to say, my fellow employees were nearly besides themselves when I suddenly burst through the door soaking wet while carrying an injured student and polar bear. At their frantic questioning, I explained what had happened and urged that James and Kumakuro be taken to the infirmary immediately.

When that was done (and after couple of assurances to James, who was surprisingly reluctant to leave my side), I immediately contacted Mr. Beilschmidt and explained what had happened. It didn't take long to find the boys (they weren't in my class, but I did recognize them) and they were promptly suspended. Of course, they and their families protested, but when it was revealed that they had picked a fight with the heir to the most influential organized crime family in Canada, they had gone mysteriously quiet. This revelation wasn’t as surprising as it would have been before I started teaching the 2p! class. I've more or less accepted that many of my students had ties to underground crime rings (though the idea could be daunting at times. I better make sure I watched my step before I ended up in the bottom of a river with cinderblock shoes…).

The weekend passed, and Monday arrived. I had just settled my things on my desk when a familiar voice called out to me.

I turned and sent a bright smile to James, who looked much better than he did on Friday, though still covered in a few bandages. "Oh, James! Good morning~!"

" _Bon matin_..." He greeted in his usual grumpy fashion and I bent down to more at face with him.

"It seems you're doing better! Is Kumakuro healing all right?”

" _Oui_. He just needed some sleep and food and he was well enough to annoy me again..." He muttered in what many would see as annoyance, though I could tell he was relieved at the bear’s quick recovery. " _Mon Oncles_ said I could keep him. When they heard that he bit one of those jack asses’ legs, they thought he could make a good guard dog for the house."

"Really? That's great!" I exclaimed, happy for him (I also couldn't help but think that having a "Guard Bear" was pretty unique. If anyone was stupid enough to break into their house in the first place, then they were in for a one scary surprise...).

" _Ouais_..." James began, suddenly looking shy even with that scowl on his face. "Anyway Madame (L/n), I just wanted to say...thank you for helping me take care of Kumakuro, even though you didn't have to. I told _Mon Oncles_ what you did, and they said that if you need a favor, they would be happy to oblige."

"Eh?! A...A-Ah, it's no problem at all! I was just doing my duty as your teacher is all, so I don't need any favors! All though..." I added towards the end, sending him a secret smile. "If there was one favor that I want, it would be to see Kumakuro again! I miss the little guy already and I have the cuuutest little get well toy for him that I found on Etsy!"

James blinked up at me with a deadpan expression before sighing to himself. "You spoil him too much. He's already bratty as is..."

"I'm sorry, but he's just too cute! I can't help it~!" I admitted with little to no shame, happy sparkles emanating from me as I held my hands to my cheeks. I had such an Achilles heel for cute things~!

James had a faint smile on his face and looked as if he were going to say something, but a sudden loud shout of my name rudely cut him off.

\----

"Ms. (L/n)!" Allen called out as he ran up to (F/n) and began to tug on her clothes to get her attention.

"Huh? Allen?" She wondered in surprise turning to look at the excited American. "What do you need?"

"I need ya to come with me!" He urged, grabbing her arm and tugging her along to some unknown destination. "My uncle got me this kick as-er, I mean really cool drone and I wanted to fly it with you!"

"Oh really?" She asked in great interest, not noticing the put out look on James' faces. He didn't know why, but he was incredibly annoyed at the fact that his stupid brother had taken her attention away from him. Uttering a low Québécois curse, he stomped up to the two of them and grabbed on to her other arm, effectively stopping her from leaving.

"Madame (L/n)..." He asked with faux stoicness to hide his irritation. "I wanted to show you some videos of Kumakuro playing with this ball that we just got for him."

"Huh, Really?!" She asked with a happy sparkle in her eyes, clearly eager to see the cute videos. "Lemme see, lemme see, lemme see!"

With her distracted once again, (F/n) failed to notice the smug smirk James sent to his twin at regaining her attention and the ticked of glare he sent back.

"Hey!" Allen snapped, pulling her arm closer to his chest (She inwardly marveled at how surreally strong he was, despite his small size). "I asked Ms. (L/n) first, so screw off and leave us alone!"

" _J'm'en calice_..." James grumbled back, keeping an equally strong grip on her other arm. "Don't waste Madame (L/n)'s time on your stupid toys. Go play by yourself _tu es toton stupide!_ "

"Speak English you jack as-er, I mean-you jerk! You 'bout to catch this fade if you keep talking all that shi-trash!"

The two brothers continued to bicker (and inadvertently pull her) back and forth, but she couldn't help but let out an exasperated chuckle at the argument. She was touched that they were warming up to her like this, but it was certainly going to be an adventure to get these two to get along. Still, she felt like she could manage and she was looking forward to building a stronger relationship with the two.

* * *

_**August: Friday 22th, 20XX** _

* * *

_Wake not a sleeping lion._ The Chinese proverb had eventually come to mind after a few minutes of being left to ruminate over my current situation. It had been a few days since I and one of my students had settled into a strange routine which, consequentially, had led to where we are now.

I shifted subtly so as to make sure I didn't disturb the snoozing, Southern French boy that was currently laying his head on my lap. François Bonnefoy was happily off in dream land while I was left a bemused teacher in reality.

I wasn’t sure why François had decided to make my lap his impromptu pillow, but I didn't really question it. It had begun on Monday, when it was close to nap time. I was helping set up the designated nap room that was assigned to my class. Even for the 2p! class, no expense was spared for the kids. They were all given designated, cloud soft twin sized beds with fluffy pillows and plush blankets that looked more comfortable (and expensive) than my old bed.

It didn't take much to get the kids to nap, which was surprising considering their hyperactivity. I chalked it up to the fact that nap time was usually after recess, so most of the kids were tired from playing and rough housing. Plus, the students I had that were from the Mediterranean, Southern Europe, and South America were used to taking _Siestas_ , so they expected a nap sometime in the day.

At that time, I was sitting down on my own designated futon chair in the corner of the room, keeping watch over the kids...well, _keeping watch_ would be a _bit_ of a stretch. I was actually catching up on one of my current favorite series on my laptop. Nobody would mind right~? Right!

I was halfway through an episode when some movement from the left caught my eye. I lifted my head to see one of the kids, François, had sat up, looking dazed and half asleep. He blinked tiredly for a few moments before he crawled out of his bed. I watched curiously as her began to shuffle over to where I was sitting. Pulling out my ear buds, I waited until he got closer before I said anything.

"What's wrong François?" I whispered, moving my laptop to the side. "Did you have a nightmare or something? Need to use the bathroom?"

He stopped in front of me and just stared at me with drowsy eyes, not answering my question. O…kay then? I stared back at him questioningly. Why wasn’t he saying anything? It was awkwardly quiet for a few moments before François finally made the first move.

"...Ha... _cela va faire._ " He grumbled before climbing on top of the side of my chair that I wasn’t using and laid down, placing his head (much to my shock) on my lap. I froze for a moment, not really sure what had just happened, but before I could say anything, François was back to sleep.

What the hell?! I looked down at François in great confusion, hands hovering over him unsurely. This was...weird. Why did he suddenly decide to sleep on me instead of his cozy little bed?! Should I...wake him up or something? Oh, but that would be mean! He just looked so peaceful and sweet sleeping...Ah! The internal conflict!

After a few moments of vain struggling, I decided to give up and wait until he woke up to ask why he did that. For now, though, I would just let him rest...

When François eventually did wake up and I questioned him, all he did was give me a lazy shrug, muttering about how he just "felt" like it. Vague as it was, I knew I wouldn't get much out of him no matter how hard I tried, so I just sighed and accepted it. I had a bigger job to accomplish then, and that was waking my other students up, which usually ended with a bunch of grumpy renegade toddlers practically tearing our heads off for disturbing them.

Time passed, and I thought everything was back to normal.

Then the next day came. Recess ended, nap time rolled around, and a few minutes in François got up from his bed, walked over to me, and fell asleep on my lap again. Soon it got to the point where he didn't bother getting in his bed, instead walking straight towards me. As confusing as it was in the beginning, I eventually grew accustomed to his new sleeping habit and even began to look forward to it. I even found myself singing lullabies my foster mother used to sing to my siblings and I when we were little and I also took the initiative to learn some French lullabies as well (he seemed to be quite fond of the one called _Au clair de la lune_ because he would be out like a light before I even got to the second verse).

Oliver, Allen, and James, on the other hand, weren't so amused by this new routine the two of us had made. To them, at least, they didn't think it was fair that François was taking up so much of my time, which he honestly wasn't, but of course they were stubborn and nearly threw a fit when they were told they had to go to bed while he got to stay with me (it didn't help that he made sure to give a loud, haughty yawn that practically screamed _'You snooze, you lose~'_ as he made himself comfortable). I don’t know why they were so upset. Their beds had to have been waaay more comfortable than my plain ol’ futon!

Regardless I knew I had to find a way to appease them and after some arguing, I finally came up with a solution, at least for the meantime. I folded my futon chair down so that it turned into a bed. With that, there was enough room for all four of them to sleep on. I was in the middle, and the boys could nap around me in comfort. This seemed to please them greatly and by the time nap time came around again, François was in his usual spot, Oliver was happily curled at my side, and Allen and James were laying on my legs, irritable that they had to sleep near each other, but content none the less.

I, on the other hand, couldn't have been happier. I never thought that these guys would ever warm up to me like this! It took a month of hard work, but I finally managed to befriend four out of the twelve "Demonic Dozen". My co-workers told me that it was a miracle as they apparently never seen this before or expected it. I thought that maybe the reason why no one’s seen this before was because no one bothered to try in the first place. Everyone just assumed the 2p! kids were just a bunch of evil little gremlins without getting to know them better. I, on the other hand, was determined to get closer to my students. Of course, I still had a long ways to go in regards to getting the other eight to open up to me, but I had high hopes for the future!

\---

While (F/n) was busy contemplating a hopefully bright future, she didn't notice three pair of eyes staring at her from afar. Three little bodies sat on their beds on the opposite side of the room, close to each other but away from the rest of the students.

" _Che palle!_ " Luciano Vagras grounded out from where he was laying in the middle of the other two, his magenta colored eyes darkening in anger. "Those _figli di puttana_ failed to keep their part of the deal!"

"That woman is more dangerous than we had thought." Mikado, who was on his left, admitted with a deep frown. "She has successfully managed to trick the F.A.C.E and turned them into loyal puppies..."

Lutz gave his angry Italian friend a half-lidded stare, speaking between bites of his _Hanuta **(1)** _sandwich. "What should we do now…?"

Luciano glared over at (F/n) and the four brothers with deep contempt before his face settled into a nasty smirk. "Hmph, there's nothing to worry about. While those four may have failed and fallen for that woman's trickery, there's no way she'll be able to get through Braginsky and Wang."

At the mentioning of his older brother, Mikado let out a small, but irritated growl while Lutz gave a contemplative look.

"Hmm...Viktor and Xiao huh?" He mused, finishing up his snack and going to open another one. "Those two are going to eat that poor woman alive..."

"Which is a sacrifice I'm willing to take!" Luciano shot back at him, looking very much like a villain whose machinations were coming to fruition. "The sooner that woman quits, the better. It will only be a matter of time before we get to leave this _scuola di merda_ and get to go back home as well~!"

Luciano's smile held nothing but evil plans for (F/n), yet he was still none the wiser. She just sat there watching her Netflix shows, blissfully unaware of the crazy events and situations she would go through next week.

* * *

**_(1) Hanuta- So Hanuta is this Heaven sent snack in Germany which is basically Nutella sandwhiched between two waffles/waffers. They look positively delicious and I would probably kill a man to try one-_ **

**_Translations in order: (Apologies in advance if I messed up the Québécois French, ~~which I most certainly did.~~ I tried to keep it as accurate as possible😅. This also extends to any other languages used in this story. I'm a simple girl with Google Translate and Reverso, so please have mercy on me~)_ **   
**_(French/Québécois) Connerie- Bullshit  
(French/Québécois) Va chier- Fuck off  
(French/Québécois) Tu me gosses- You annoy me  
(French/Québécois) Je creuver de faim- I'm starving  
(French/Québécois) Nourris moi- Feed me  
(French/Québécois) Ferme ta gueule- Shut up  
(French/Québécois) Cette femme est bizarre- This woman is weird  
(French/Québécois) Non, elle est juste une tata- No, she is just an idiot  
(French/Québécois) Quoi?- What?  
(French/Québécois) Je m’en sacre- I don't give a damn  
(French/Québécois) Maudit bâtards- Damn bastards  
(French/Québécois) Bon matin- Good Morning  
(French/Québécois) Mon Oncles- My Uncles  
(French/Québécois) Ouais- Yeah  
(French/Québécois) J'm'en calice- I don't give a fuck  
(French/Québécois) Tu es toton stupide- You stupid idiot (this one is kinda funny, cause "toton" apparently means "boob" and is used to denote an idiot. So I guess a literal translation would be "you stupid boob" instead~).  
(French/Québécois) Cela va faire- This will do  
(Italian) Che palle!- So this apparently means "What balls!" and yes, while that is funny on it's own, it's usually used to curse bad weather or when an event happens to you that you are not happy with.  
(Italian) Figli di puttana- Sons of bitches  
(Italian) Scuola di merda- Shitty School_ **

**_Thanks for Reading~!_ **


	8. The F.A.C.E Family (Lil' Moments~!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a bunch of fluffy, more comedy based moments between the F.A.C.E kids and the Reader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**Oliver~** _ **🍰💕**

* * *

"Ms. (L/n)~! Ms. (L/n)~!"

I looked up from where I was eating my lunch, alerted by Oliver's excited calls. It was currently snack time, so many of the kids were sitting around eating meals that were, of course, as high class as the establishment itself. Each meal was carefully crafted by the best chefs money could buy, and I could only woefully shake my head, wondering what ever happened to good ol' fashioned juice boxes, fruit snacks, and Lunchables?

Digressions aside, I couldn't help but note the behavior Oliver was exhibiting. He was practically hopping when he got to me, showing off his toothy grin as his large glasses wobbled up and down with his movements. He also seemed to be hiding something behind his back...

"Hello Oliver, do you need anything?" I asked kindly after swallowing the food I had in my mouth.

"Ah, yes...well..." He fidgeted, casting a rather bashful look to the ground. "I uh...made somethin’ for ya a...a-and I was wonderin’ if ya’d like it!" He eventually mumbled out, casting anxious looks at me.

"Really?" Pleasantly surprised, my heart warming at the sweet gesture. "You made something for me?"

Olive quickly nodded his head, glasses close to flying off from the hasty movement, to which he quickly fixed. "I...wanted to thank ya for helpin’ me make the swear jar! Ever since then, James and Allen haven't said so many naughty words anymore!"

I laughed a little at this, thinking about the newly established fear he had instilled into the class. It wasn't just his stepbrothers who were scared to curse around him, but almost the entire class, inside and out. People rumored that if you ever did get caught cursing around Oliver and didn't want to get stabbed, you'd had to pay to the swear jar in order to earn his forgiveness. It was a pretty lucrative business for him and had even gained him some loyal followers, so all in all it was a pretty solid deal.

"Of course, I wouldn't mind receiving a gift from you Oliver, especially if you made it just for me~!" I answered back, getting a delighted, doe eyed look from him in return.

"R…R-Really?! Okay...okay then!" He cheered before finally bringing his hands from behind his back and showing me his gift. "Then here ya go!"

I marveled at the little creation that sat on a small, baby blue plate with a paper doily for decoration. Oh wow, he made me a cupcake! It was a standard sized one that looked to be vanilla with buttercream frosting on top that was colored the same blue as the plate along with heart shaped rainbow sprinkles.

"I...wasn't sure what yer favorite flavor was, so I hope ya don't mind vanilla!" He explained, and I almost died at the cute gesture. To think that he would go out of his way to actually make me a cupcake! Sure, it certainly wasn't professional looking, but the thought more than made up for it.

"Oh my~! Thank you so much Oliver!" I gushed, gently taking the plate away from him. "You must've worked so hard on this!"

"Ehehe~!" He put his hands behind his back once more while rocking back and forth on his feet. "I had the chefs back at home help me with it. I used ta bake with mummy before she went away too!"

"Well your mummy taught you well~!" I acknowledged, reaching over to ruffle his marshmallow pink locks, much to his apparent joy. "Do you mind if I eat it now?"

"Of course not Ms. (L/n)! It's yer gift after all~!" Oliver reassured, and I thanked him before carefully unwrapping the paper from the cupcake.

 _'Wah~! This actually looks really good!'_ I inwardly marveled before sending a bright smile towards him.

"Welp, _Bon Appétit~!_ " I cheered in a joking manner before taking a big bite out of the cupca-

.

.

.

 ** _"_** _I...It...it's...so... **SWEEEEEEEET?!!??!"**_ I inwardly screamed as my taste buds were ruthlessly assaulted by the saccharine dessert. It tasted as if Oliver had poured a whole bag of sugar into a single cupcake! It felt like the _Stay Puft Marshmallow_ man just punched me in the throat while Willy Wonka drop kicked me in the face! It was almost as if all of _Candyland_ had been nuked by a hydrogen sugar bomb! The conclusion~? **_IT WAS TOO DAMN SWEEEEEET!!!_**

While I tried to maintain a pleased look, the sensation proved to be so overwhelming that I had to quickly cover my mouth to keep me from immediately spitting it out. When I did that, however, I noticed Oliver's worried expression and immediately swallowed the bite I took (with great difficulty) and gave him a wavering smile.

"W...W-Wow Oliver! This is so good!" I mumbled, desperately craving a bottle of water in order to wash out the overly sugary aftertaste.

"Really~?!" He cheered and dammit, he just looked so happy at my words that I couldn't bear the thought of not finishing the cupcake. I’d rather shoot myself in the foot than hurt his feelings!

"Y...Y-Yup!" I chirped, going in for another bite and immediately regretting it. "It's...it's delicious! You must have your mother's ta-talent~! I...hope you don't mind me asking though, but did you taste check the batter beforehand?"

"Nope!" Oliver puffed his chest out proudly, rapidly shaking his head. "I kept from eatin’ the batter like a good boy so Ms. (L/n) could have all of it~!"

Figures...God, I could already feel my blood sugar increase with every bite I took but seeing the gleeful look on his freckled face motivated me to keep going until finally, _thankfully_ , it was gone.

"Ah~! That…hit the spot!" I sighed (read: groan) as I pat my stomach (that was rolling unpleasantly, trying to reject the sugar intake it was forced to digest) with a small smile. "Thank you, Oliver!"

"Ehehe~!" Sparkles seemed to radiate off of him and I could only sigh in relief. Thank the gods that was over with-

"Well, if ya liked it that much, I hope ya have room for the others~!" He suddenly cheered with a closed eyed smile, sparkles seeming to increase at the statement.

.

.

.

I stopped short before sending my own closed eye smile, though I could feel that this one was much more strained and delayed then his. "Hm~? The...the others?"

"Yup!" He chirped before clapping his hands three times. Much to my shock (and immense horror) a row of seven kids quickly lined up behind him, carrying plates that held a myriad of desserts ranging from cupcakes, cookies, brownies and more. The normally delicious looking sight seemed to exude a dark aura of death and doom and I could practically hear the ominous music to accompany it.

"Me mummy said that when somebody does ya a favor, ya have to pay it forward 5x more!" Oliver announced, oblivious to my growing dread and motioning towards the plates of sugary monsters being presented to me. "So, Ms. (L/n), I hope ya still have room for dessert~!"

I stared at Oliver before gazing at the desserts in mild terror. Ah, were those funeral bells I could hear?

 _'No...'_ I eventually answered as I laid my head on my desk an hour later, close to passing out from a dessert coma as my stomach ached something fierce. _'They were just the sounds of insulin bottles clinking together.'_

Needless to say, I was going to lay off sweets for a while...

* * *

 _**Allen~** _ **☠⚾️**

* * *

"Now I know what you're thinkin' Ms. (L/n) and let me just say that it was an accident."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah!"

"And how, pray tell, do you accidently chase a bunch of kids around with a drone that shoots out bebe gun pellets?"

"..."

"..."

"...It was on autopilot."

I gave Allen a blank stare before heaving an exasperated sigh and pinching the bridge of my nose. He stared up at me with the most innocent face he could make, which certainly didn't fool me given what I had just witnessed five minutes ago.

Imagine walking out of your classroom to oversee that day's recess, only to be greeted by a cacophony of panicked and pained screams of a dozen or so children and staff paired with the evil cackles of the one causing said pain by using his drone to shoot at his chosen victims at the time.

It was, to put it rather bluntly, quite shocking.

Luckily, most of the injuries were kept at a minimum (though the same couldn't be said for the mental repercussions) and I had managed to put a stop to the mayhem in record time.

Now it was just Allen and I in the classroom, I sitting at my desk, him sitting across from me, and that accursed drone between us both.

"Allen..." I sighed before sending him a stern glare. "You know it's not nice to attack your schoolmates like that. What if somebody got really hurt?"

He glared up at me with a stubborn pout, looking miffed (and oddly…hurt for some reason?) that he was getting scolded by me. "Hmph! Those jack as-er, those jerks deserved it."

"And why do you think that?" I asked patiently, causing him to let out an aggravated sigh.

"Because they called me a pansy, sayin' I was whipped and shit! I wasn't gonna to take that standin'!" He barked out, looking pissed at the very memory of it, before he suddenly calmed down with a frustrated scowl. "Besides..."

"Besides what?" I tilted my head, curious at his sudden mood change. Fuming red eyes darted up to look at me before he quickly turned his head to the side, fiddling with his fingers.

"They were..." He began, trailing off into stilted grumbles that I couldn't make heads or tails of.

"Come again?"

Allen huffed out a growl and crossed his arms over his chest, cheeks tinted in a faint red. "...They were...talking bad about ya too." He eventually revealed, frowning deeper as he slouched some more in the chair. "And I didn't like it..."

“…” At this, I felt myself gradually relax, my stern look melting into one of understanding.

"Allen," I began, standing up from my seat and going to kneel in front of him. "You shouldn't attack people because they talk bad about you or me. It's always better to use your words."

"Words?' He asked, looking disgusted at the very notion. "But that's for sissies! My uncle Dean said that fists and action are what really get ya far in the world!"

"...Yes, while that may be true..." I spoke after a moment of hesitation, feeling irked that Allen's uncle would give him such reckless advice. "You must know that taking action should only be your last result."

"And why’s that?" He challenged, and I gave him a bright smile that bordered on suspicious.

"Because, if you give the person you are confronting ample warning, then that means that you won't be completely in the wrong~!"

Allen blinked in confusion, metaphorical question marks dancing around his head. "Apple warning? What's that?"

"Ample warning." I corrected with a small laugh. "It means to give somebody a bunch of chances to apologize or get out of your face before you make them."

"Ha~?" Allen furrowed his brow some more, irritation now bleeding into his confusion. "Well, how's that different from what I've been doin' before?"

"It's different because it helps cut down all of those fights that you get into! Most of the time, guys who talk mess about others without provocation is usually just that, all talk. If you tell them to back off, they'll most likely do it because they don't want to get hurt and with your reputation, it would probably be super effective! Plus, even if you do get into a fight, you could say that you warned them and that you had no choice but to fight back, therefore lessening your punishment than if you just attacked without warning!"

Allen gazed up at me in amazement while I inwardly pat myself on the back for the explanation. I knew for a fact that only a few kids in the 2p! department would actually fight Allen while the rest were too scared of him and his brothers to do much. I would honestly prefer no fighting at all, but if I could only lower the amount of altercations he would get into, then that would be fine as well!

"Damn~!" He marveled, eyes practically sparkling as he comprehended my words. "So you're sayin' that all I have to do is threaten people before I fight them, and I won't have to get in trouble?!"

"Er...not exactly..." I sweat-dropped before letting out another small chuckle. "Just try giving those who approach you three chances to leave you alone before you retaliate, okay?"

"Uh huh, okay!" Allen cheered, hopping out of his chair with an anxious eagerness. "I understand Ms. (L/n), now can I please go outside and play with the new toy I got?!"

"Is it another drone?" I asked suspiciously, and he shook his head.

"Nah, it ain't a drone! It's just this toy car my Uncle bought me." He explained honestly and after a few moments of thought, I nodded and sent him a kind smile.

"Well...okay then. Just remember what I told you and play nice with the others okay?"

"Kay~!" Allen called back before hurriedly rushing out of the classroom and out to the playground.

I watched him go with an endeared sigh, standing up and stretching my legs which were starting to cramp up from kneeling for so long. I felt at ease though, knowing that Allen must've taken my words to heart and was going to handle all of his interactions in a more mature fashion...

...It only took five minutes before I heard the screaming again...

As it turns out, the "toy car" that Allen's uncle bought him was one of those large electric cars that kids could ride in. It was modeled like a black Lamborghini and seemed to be as fast as one too, if the speed the he was going as he chased down a group of students had anything to say about it.

" ** _ALLEN T JONES!_** " I cried out, horrified and bewildered at the impromptu car chase. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

Allen turned towards where I was and gave me a big, sharp tooth smile while waving. "Hey Ms. (L/n)! Check out my new ride~!"

I gapped in dumb struck awe while another tired looking female teacher name Rosalita walked up to my side. "Those brats he's chasing started mocking him about something and so he started chasing them with that car. I hafta say though, it looks like it has some good gas mileage…"

" _WHAT?!"_ I squawked before turning an incredulous look towards my renegade student.

"Allen! What did I _literally_ just say?!" I cried, getting a rather evil laugh in return.

"You said to give any idiot who messes with me three chances before I kick they ass!" He yelled out, stepping on the metaphorical gas of his kid car as he sped after the terrified children. "And so, I did! I gave them three chances to get out of my face before I mowed their asses down on the concrete by counting to three!"

"T...T-THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" I was aghast, rushing after him in order to stop his trail of destruction! "Allen! Slow down before you hurt somebody and yoursel-wait a minute, is that his baseball ba-OH MY GOD IT IS! ALLEN, PUT THE BAT DOWN BEFORE YOU GIVE SOMEBODY A CONCUSSION!!!"

Rosalita only watched the spectacle before sighing and wobbling away from the classroom. "Ay...I wonder if Azalea still has anymore of that vodka left?"

* * *

 _**James~** _ **🐻🖕**

* * *

I hummed as I sat in my usual spot in the gazebo up on the hill, working on putting together some work sheets I was hoping to get the class to work on, even though such efforts were futile at this point in time. Still, it was worth a shot~!

As I typed on my laptop, a familiar voice suddenly cut through the music that I was listening to.

"Madame (L/n)..."

"Ah, James~!" I greeted, recognizing the Québécois accent immediately as I took out my ear buds and began to look at him. "How have you been do- _WHOA?!_ "

I gaped at the bewildering sight that was presented to me in the form of James being surrounding by a bunch of _animals_. He, along with birds, squirrels, dogs, cats, and even a mouse or two, blinked up at me with blank looks on their faces while all I could do was carefully place my earbuds on to the table in front of me.

"Wha..." I began, voice cracking a little in shock, before I cleared my throat to try again. "Uh...James. Where did all of your little...friends come from?"

James seemed blasé about the fact that he had all these animals on and around him. In fact, all he did was just give a small shrug at my question while a cute blue bird just nestled itself into his hair, looking content with its makeshift home. " _Je ne sais pas._ They just come near me and make themselves comfortable. It happens all the time."

I blinked at his explanation before my eyes suddenly lit up with a childlike wonder. "Oh my god..." I whispered, placing my hands on my cheeks in an almost comical way. " _You're like a Disney princess..._ "

This, obviously, did not amuse him fore he gave me a dark glare that immediately made me laugh in a nervous manner. Uh oh, touched a nerve~

"A...A-Ahaha~! Just kidding!" I tittered out, though it was clear that James didn't believe me at all.

"Hmm..."

"A...A-Anyway, how long are those guys going to stick around?" I asked curiously, getting another shrug in return.

" _Qui sait_. They usually leave when they start getting hungry or when I have to go home." He explained, walking over to sit beside me with a tired sigh. "At least they don't crap on me, so I don't mind 'em that much."

I smiled down at him, knowing that James' love for animals was one of the few times where he would ever show a soft side. I reached down to pet one of the dog’s head, who barked happily in return. "Hehe~! And they're super cute too~!"

James didn't say anything to that, but he did let out a small, faint smile as he pet a cat that was sleeping on his lap. "Hmm..."

The two of us spent a few minutes basking in the company of the animals that seemed to gravitate towards James. Sadly, this moment of piece was promptly shattered when a sudden projectile came flying at my face. I didn't have any time to react, and so I subsequently got a face full of water balloon.

Gasping and choking from the out of nowhere contact of water, I could hear the sounds of triumphant laughter coming from a group of nearby kids.

"Ahaha! Got her!" One of them cheered, hi-fiving his snickering friend. I sighed at this, wiping the water out of my eyes. Whoever threw that had one hell of an arm. I could feel my face stinging already…

"Ah~! I got careless..." I bemoaned, looking around me to see what else got soaked from the attack (please be safe my dear laptop!). "I hadn't had a trick played on me for a minute, so I let my guard down. You didn't get wet, did you Ja-..."

His name died on my lips and I gulped it down in trepidation. James' violet eyes were darkened to an almost wine color and he trained his intimidating stare over at the group of students who seemed to be unaware of the threat he was exuding.

"U...U-Uh, James...?" I tried to gain his attention, failing spectacularly as he stood up from his seat, posture tense and growling. He puts his fingers to his mouth and let out a loud whistle, attracting both the animals and the students’ attention.

While I wondered what James was doing, said boy simply raised his hand to point at the now terrified looking kids (it seems they didn't notice him sitting beside me) and uttered three simple words. **_"Tuez-les tous."_**

Almost as if those words were like a switch, the animals previous docile and sweet nature immediately turned as threatening as the his, all of them growling, hissing, or baring their teeth with eyes that seemed to glow red.

The students who played the prank saw this and, in an act of wise thinking, screamed and immediately ran for their lives. The animals set after them like blood hounds, following their owner’s instructions to a loyal T.

When they were gone, James' sighed before turning to give me a narrow stare. He clicked his tongue before reaching into his pocket and handing me a black and red plaid handkerchief. " _Ici,_ take it."

I stared at him and the handkerchief in repeating succession for a few moments before gently taking it from his hands. I then sent him a warm smile, feeling absolutely touched at his kind gesture.

"Thank you..."

James turned a little pink at that before he clicked his tongue and looked to the side, grumbling inaudibly. I giggled at this and went to wipe my face, drying off any lingering water.

In the end, the animals didn't do any serious damage to the kids (just a few bird pecks and cat scratches) and after I ensured they were all treated (and getting a reluctant apology in return) I had made sure to ask James to resist attacking anymore people with them in the future...

* * *

 _**François~** _ **🐑💤**

* * *

I sighed, placing my chin in my propped-up hand while surveying the classroom with a pout. As it turns out, those worksheets I made did go to waste. It didn't take long for the students to get antsy with having to stay in one place and learn, so it only took ten minutes into the lesson until one well shot spit ball devolved the whole class into a brawl.

The little progress I’ve made in the learning aspects of my class was discouraging, but I guess I should be grateful as, according to my other co-workers, my class was the only one that had got any teaching done at all.

Sighing once more, I stood and raised my arms above my head in a stretch. I was a little sore from stopping the brawl from earlier, but I didn't feel like sitting around at the moment. I looked around the room, eyes skimming over my students, before a certain boy caught my attention.

It wasn't a rare sight to see François lying about somewhere (he would sleep in some of the weirdest places imaginable), but it was rare to see him lying about while awake, even more so because he was reading!

I marveled at the strange sight, trying to figure out what kind of magazine could possibly interest a boy like François. I couldn't see what kind it was from where I was standing, so I decided to take a closer look as well as check up on him.

I made my way over, feeling happy at the fact that one of my students were actually taking the initiative to read (the only ones that I’ve actually seen with a book in their hands was Mikado or Viktor)!

" _Bonjour_ François~!" I greeted him, now a few feet away from him and able to clearly see the cover of the magazine in his hands. "How are yo-"

I felt every cell in my body violently react to the magazine in his hands, brain sending out alarm sirens and being too busy to form proper sentences.

"Wha-wha-wha-wha-?!" I stuttered, causing François to look up from his reading material with blank eyes.

 _"...Quelle?"_ He muttered, but I was much too focused on that damn _mAGAZINE-!!!_

On the cover of the magazine, much to my shock and immense horror, was a woman dressed in one of those Playboy Bunny outfits while staring coquettishly at the camera in a sexy pose!

“AIIIIEEE!” Letting out a shriek of dismay, I quickly snatched the adult magazine out of his hand with enough force to rip the accursed thing in half.

"Hey..." François muttered, face mildly annoyed with my sudden (and admitably rather violent) reaction.

"Where-where- ** _WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?!_** " I demanded, pointing at the booklet that was being crushed in my grasp.

Sleepy violet eyes stared up at me impassively, with the usual shrug following afterwards painting the perfect picture of _'little to no fucks given'_.

"Dunno," He muttered, reaching back to fluff up the pillow he was laying on. "I just found it lying around my house. Probably belongs to _mon oncle_ or something."

The flushed look of embarrassment on my face quickly changed to a rouge of anger when I heard his explanation. _'What the FUCK?!'_ I thought, gritting my teeth. _'What kind of dumbass just leaves a porno mag lying around his house so his twelve-year-old nephew can find it?! I can't believe this!'_

"Lo...lo-look François," I began, trying to will my voice to be strong and stern (and failing at it with the crack towards the end). "You're...you're not allowed to read this kinda stuff until your older! Much, _MUCH_ older!"

I almost balked when I saw him roll his eyes at me, but before I could say anything else, he just laid down with his hands behind his head, closing his eyes as if to sleep.

"Whatever..." He muttered, already sounding close to napping. "I've seen stuff like that in real life anyway."

Now _this_ statement was enough to put me into cardiac arrest. My jaw almost fell to the floor as I tried (and failed) to comprehend his words. " ** _WHAT?!_** Wha-what do you mean-?!"

The soft snores from François cut off my frantic questioning and I realized that he was fast asleep, off in dreamland while I was left in a nightmare!

I stared down at him with unsure eyes before groaning and reaching over to drape a blanket over his sleeping form so he didn't catch a cold. The peaceful sight of him sleeping did nothing to quell the malice I was feeling in my heart!

I didn't know what was going on with Allen, James, Oliver, and François' uncles and their approaches to teaching their nephews, but if there was one thing that I was sure of is that if I were ever to see them in real life, I’d give them a good piece of my mind, mafia bosses be damned!

I sighed through my nose in irritation before glaring towards the magazine in my hand. Who even reads porn magazines in the day and age? Everything was online!

I clicked my tongue and began to rip the thing to shreds with my bare hands, looking quite like a mad woman, if the warry stares of my co-workers didn't attest to that.

* * *

 _**(F/n)~** _ **🍎❤🌹**

_**(Surprised that Reader got her own little chapter~?)** _

* * *

Irritation was a common emotion that ran through the 2p! class like the blood in their veins. They were a bunch of volatile bundles of energy, so putting 30+ of these little devils in a single room were obviously going to lead to disgruntlement.

At the moment though, no major issues were happening, which was actually quite fortunate...for some people. For four certain little boys, though, this was defiantly **_not_** a good thing at the moment.

Usually, when things were calm and orderly, (F/n) would have more free time. To the F.A.C.E family, this free time basically translated into the time she’d get to use on _them_. She’d use this time to make cute little crafts with Oliver, scold Allen for breaking _another_ window, watch funny animal videos with James, and sing lullabies to François who'd lay on her lap. That was the typical routine that the five of them had formed in this past month.

Now though...that routine was disrupted, and her four students were **_not_** happy about that.

Four pairs of eyes glared over to where (F/n) and one of her co-workers named Jason were conversing...well, it would be more accurate to say that they were just glaring at _him_. They were irked that he had the audacity to take up and waste her precious time (time that she was supposed to use for her students, or more precisely, _them_ )!

"Ugh, look at him..." Allen mocked gagged, looking at Jason as if he were some kind of gross bug. "He looks like one of those guys who make clickbait YouTube videos..."

"Hmm..." James grumbled, violet eyes narrowing at the very sight.

The four of them were off to the side, sitting at their usual group table while the rest of the class were playing around. In the midst of all the child-like chaos, only they sat still and ominous, like they were having some kind of mafia meeting.

"I...I-It's not fair..." Oliver sniffed a little and rubbed at his watery baby blue eyes. "The bloke’s been talkin’ to her for _hours_ now!"

The three other brothers seemed to be upset at this fact as well, despite the fact that (F/n) and Jason hadn't been talking for more than 20 minutes, let alone hours. Still, to them it felt like hours and with every passing minute they could feel their irritation rise.

"...His flirting is terrible..." François eventually mumbled, face oddly blank as he watched Jason try to flirt with her, frowning a little when he saw that she actually laughed at some of the corny jokes he was telling her.

"Alright, that's it." Allen slammed his hand on the desk, reaching for his trusty baseball bat. "I'm knockin' his ass out."

James was quick to follow suit, reaching over for his hockey stick with the same intent.

"W...W-Wait a minute you two!" Oliver called towards his younger brothers, stopping them from their violent mission.

"Don't try and stop us man! I can't take listenin' to that idiot's voice anymore!" Allen barked, fist tightening around his bat when he heard Jason laugh in what he saw as obnoxiously.

"Don't ya two have any sense?" Oliver admonished, placing his hands on his hips in a parent like fashion (a little tick he had picked up from (F/n) when she went into scolding mode). "Ya can't just go over there and clobber him on the noggin'! That would make Ms. (L/n) upset and she'll be mad at ya!"

The two boys grimaced at this, but reluctantly relented when they saw the validity in his words. Though they would never admit it out loud, they didn't like the idea of their teacher being mad at them. Still, the fact that they couldn't do anything was frustrating enough to kill them!

"Gah! Fine, whatever!" Allen roared, putting his bat down along with James who just clicked his teeth. "If we can't beat him up, then what do ya think we can do?!"

Oliver blinked a little at the question before he slowly gave a toothy smile that bordered on sinister. "Ehehe~! I'm glad you asked Ally~!"

Allen and James blanched at the malicious aura that was exuding from their brother, anxiously taking a step away from him in what was _totally_ not fear.

"Wha...what do ya have in mind?" Allen asked before blinking in sudden thought. "Wait a minute, what the heck did ya call me?!"

Oliver giggled once more and motioned for all three of his brothers to huddle in close so he could tell them his plan.

Meanwhile, (F/n) was trying to stifle back a laugh at another awful pun that Jason had just told her. "God, that was so bad it was funny! Where do you come up with this crap?"

Jason snickered, brushing back his brown hair from out of his eyes. "Ah~I dunno, maybe my mum dropped me on my head as a kid and it did something to my brain."

"Oh really~?" She joked back, nudging him in the side a little. "Must've been some heavy brain damage then."

"Ah yes, it's quite the ailment." He mocked woed, placing his hand to his head in a feigned headache. "But, you know what would make me feel better~?"

"Brain surgery?"

"With this health care system? I don't think so. But something to eat would be much more affordable. Let's do lun-"

"Ms. (L/n)! Ms. (L/n)!" Jason was suddenly cut off by Oliver who had zoomed over to her and latched on to her leg while crying.

"E...E-Eh? Oliver?" She wondered, looking down at the boy in worry. "What's wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?"

With her attention completely on her student, (F/n) didn't notice what was going on behind a now anxious Jason (he was one of the many teachers who were terrified of the 2p! students, so his reaction was understandable, if not sad).

As he stepped back from the two of them, he didn't notice the _Hot Wheels_ that were placed behind him (courtesy of a rather sneaky Allen). Jason slipped on the toys and fell back, fully expecting to fall on his ass and embarrass himself in front of his co-worker and the rest of these little hell raisers. Instead, he found himself falling on a skateboard.

He groaned in pain and looked up, only to meet the cold and indifferent eyes of James. Said boy placed his foot on the skateboard and only uttered one simple phrase that carried the weight of a loaded gun. **_"Va chier..."_**

And with that, James pushed the skateboard and Jason away from him at a high speed, the teacher screaming along the way. Soon, the poor man zoomed across the room and into a nearby supply closet, eventually crashing into some of the shelves. François was quick to the scene, slamming the closest door closed and locking it for good measure.

Hearing the commotion going on behind her, (F/n) hurriedly turned around from taking care of Oliver to see what was going on. "Huh? Jason, what was-?"

She balked at the fact that her co-worker was nowhere to be found. She had only looked away for a few moments! "Hey, where-?!"

"Yo, Ms. (L/n)!" Allen suddenly ran up to her, tugging on her left hand in order to pull her somewhere. "I wanna show you this new baseball that I got!"

"Huh? But-"

"Oh! I wanna see too~!" Oliver cheered, much to her surprise as just a second ago he was bawling his eyes out.

"Oliver! Are you feeling better now?" She asked, getting a bright smile in return.

"Yep~! I feel like a million butterscotch candies~!"

She smiled a little at the phrase, tousling his hair affectionately. "That's good! Just tell me if you start feel sick again, okay?"

Her student sent her another bright smile while Allen started to tug on her arm again impatiently.

"Okay, Oliver ain't gonna blow chunks anymore so c'mon~!" He whined as James walked up with a scowl on his face.

" _Ferme ta gueule_. You're being annoying." He grumbled, reaching over to grab her right hand while he ignored Allen's angry rebuttals to his rude insults. Oliver started to scold his brothers for their offensive language while François ambled over with a tired yawn, clinging to her side in a sleepy manner.

(F/n) couldn't help but laugh at her students’ antics and the five of them began to make their way over to where Allen was trying show her his baseball. As they were leaving, though, she idly wondered about what happened to Jason...

 _'Hm, maybe he had to use the bathroom?'_ She purposed, too distracted to notice said man's muffled calls as she walked past the closet he was locked in.

* * *

**_Thanks for Reading~!_ **


	9. The Tale of Two Siblings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (F/n) receives a surprising request from one of her students.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, this chapter is a hefty one! Over 16,000 and 46.8 pages (according to Word)!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**September: Saturday 2nd, 20XX~** _

* * *

The early September sun was slowly transitioning into its Autumn stages, but the slight chill in the air didn't damper my good mood at all. I smiled, admiring the lush green trees and bushes of the park I was currently strolling through. Today was Saturday as well as my long-anticipated day off. Ever since I started working at Hetalia Academy, my weekends have become much more treasured than before. While I did enjoy my job, even I needed _some_ reprieve from the madness that was the Akutalia wing.

At the moment, I was going out to do some errands in the city but were taking a scenic stroll through the park in order to relax and unwind. I was in no rush after all, and I always had a fondness for nature. After a few moments, though, a foreign sound broke through the chirps of birds and idle chatter of the other people of the park. I stopped in my tracks and listened carefully...If I wasn’t mistaken, it sounded as if someone, a child (worryingly enough) was crying.

I furrowed my brow at this fact, the empathetic gears in my mind already going into hyper drive with the need to find the crying child and see if they were okay. I followed the sounds of the sobs and eventually made it to a bunch bushes that surrounded a large oak tree. With my height, I was easily able to peer over the bushes, which led me to see the source of the crying.

A small girl, probably around four or five years old, was curled up next to the tree and crying into her hands. She had short and wavy, honey blonde hair with a pink alice band bow on top and was wearing a matching dress with a white cardigan. Heart breaking at the sad sight, I didn't waste any time in reaching out towards her.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, getting a frightened squeak in return. The girl quickly looked up to me with wide, lavender colored eyes that clearly showed that she was uncomfortable at my presence.

"A…A-Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you..." I quickly went to reassure her, trying to look as less threatening as possible. "I just wanted to see if you were okay..."

She sniffled and gazed up at me with cautious eyes. It was clear that she was still warry of me, which was natural, but I didn't want to leave her by herself in the park! While the neighborhood that I lived in was a safe one, you still couldn’t be sure what kind of weirdos were lurking around. Thankfully though, after a few moments the girl seemed to see me as not a threat and morosely fiddle with her fingers.

"I'm fine..." She spoke softly and I crouched down in order to hear her better.

"Are you sure?" I asked in concern. "You're still crying though."

Noticing this, the girl quickly went to wipe her tears away with the sleeve of her sweater. "I...I'm fine..." She hiccupped, clearly showing that she was anything but. "I...I just got a little lost from my family because I was running away from _moy brat..._ "

It took me a minute to translate the last part, but I was pretty sure she had said she was running away from her brother. They were probably playing hide and seek or a game of tag and during the game, the girl had unknowingly separated from her family.

I felt my heart go out to the little girl, knowing how scary it was to lose your family members in a big place like this. I remember one time when I lost my foster mom in the mall and had freaked the hell out, bawling until she eventually found me again. It defiantly wasn't a fun time.

"Hey, if you want I can help you look for your family?" I offered, getting a surprised look in return.

"R...R-Really?" She whispered, voice a little hoarse from crying. "You'd....you'd really help me find _moya sem'ya_?"

"Of course!" I answered back with a friendly smile. "There's no way I'd leave you by yourself like this!"

The girl still looked a little unsure but nodded none the less and went to stand up. I did so as well, reaching my hand out in order to hold hers. She gazed at my outstretched hand tentatively before reaching out and grabbing it.

"Don't worry sweetie, we'll find your family in no time!" I assured, giving her a quick thumbs up, to which she nodded somewhat bashfully. The two of us then set off for the search, but before I got too far I remembered a little detail.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Hey sweetie, what's your name?"

Large lavender eyes blinked up at me before they lowered down to the ground nervously. "...Anastasia..."

"Wah~! Anastasia huh?" I repeated, giving the now named girl a warm smile. "What pretty name! It matches you quite well."

Anastasia looked up at me from below her bangs before bowing her head again. However, I could still see the small, yet happy smile on her face.

* * *

It had been around half an hour since Anastasia and I had set out to look for her family and so far, we didn't have any luck. Despite that though, I did get to know my little companion a bit more. She was still a little nervous around me, but she did give me some facts about what she liked as well as her family, specifically her older brother who she seemed to fear greatly for some reason. When I asked why she was afraid of him, Anastasia trembled a little before looking down at the ground once more.

"It's because he's too scary...and he hates me..." She added dejectedly. "He constantly glares at me and chases me. Plus, he always breaks my toys and scares all my friends away...sometimes, I'd just wish he'd leave me alone."

I frowned deeply at her words. How could anyone, let alone her brother, hate such a sweet natured girl like Anastasia?! It seemed like she was being constantly terrorized by all members of her family, but her brother was the biggest culprit of it all. The poor girl…

Seeing the depressed frown on her face, I quickly looked around to see if there was some way to cheer her up, eventually spotting a couple of nearby food vendors.

"Hey, you hungry or thirsty?' I asked gently, pointing over to the wide array of vendors and stands. “We’ve been walking around for a while, so why don’t we take a quick break? I’m feeling rather hungry myself...”

Anastasia looked towards the vendors with an eager expression before she seemed to hold herself back. “Sis... _Sistra_ said that it’s not good to accept handouts...” She eventually mumbled, but I waved it off breezily.

“It’s not a handout silly~! Consider it more of an apology gift for not finding your family quicker! I promise that as soon as we get something in our bellies that I’ll find them in no time flat!” After all, we can’t search on an empty stomach!

The girl still looked a little hesitant, but she eventually gave a quick nod and the two of us soon walked over to the stalls to search for something to eat. I lived in a very diverse city, so there was all manners of food at our disposal that ranged from Chinese, Spanish, Indian, and more.

“Do you see anything you like?” I asked her and after a few searching moments, her eyes hungrily stopped on a vendor that was selling an array of Slavic based desserts. I chuckled a little at her eager reaction and we quickly jumped in line. When I asked what she wanted from the menu, she immediately pointed at something called strawberry Kissel. It looked to be a cup of strawberry jello and it was topped with a dollop of fresh quark which looked a little like whip cream.

I gave the jelly like dessert a quick taste and my eyes widened. Hey, this was pretty good! The kissel had a chilled, refreshing strawberry taste and the quark was very creamy~! Anastasia looked to be completely enamored with the treat, humming happily as hearts and sparkles seemed to flutter about her like butterflies.

“Thank you so much _Spadarynia_ (L/n)!” She chirped, practically skipping besides me and she took another bite of her dessert. “I barely get to eat Kissel, so it’s been a while~!”

I chuckled a little, glad to see that the girl’s spirits were raised. She had been so sad and withdrawn earlier, but it was nice to see a more cheerful side to her. “It’s no big deal! I’m just glad you can enjoy it~!”

The two of us eventually finished the kissel and I started to refocus on our main goal. While it may have been nice to bond with Anastasia, I knew her parents were probably worried sick for her. Who knows how long she was gone before I found her!

 _‘Maybe I should stop by the police station and notify them...'_ I taped my free hand to my chin in thought, but before I could take another step, a sudden and authoritative voice rung out.

_“Anastasia Alexeyvhich Arlovskaya!”_

The two of us immediately turned to obey the voice and my jaw almost dropped through the freakin’ sidewalk when I saw what was behind us.

 _‘Holy J in the C Penny’s!’_ Paling drastically and heart nearly shooting out of my throat, I stared at the sight of an army of large and intimidating men in suits marching towards me. They all looked like ice golems, stoned faced and terrifying which led to any poor sap in their path to practically duck out of the way of it.

One man in particular was a significantly older one (probably in his 40’s to early 50’s) who looked like he could kill a man ten different ways with just his thumb. His salt and pepper hair was pulled into a ponytail and his goatee was properly trimmed. He was dressed like a typical butler and sported a pair of wired rimmed glasses that highlighted his ice blue eyes. He honestly looked more like an assassin than a butler, and my flight or fight instinct were urging me to hightail it out of there, especially since he was looking straight at me with a rather creepy smile.

I was so taken aback by the sudden appearance of the men that I barely noticed the children in front of them, leading the way.

One of the children, who looked to be the oldest and taller of the two, was a young girl with brown hair styled in a bob along with sharp red eyes. She was dressed maturely for her age, sporting a white blouse, a red skirt along with a red blazer, black tights, red shoes, and a black head band decorated with some holly berries.

The other child was, much to my immense shock, my stoic and menacing student: Viktor Braginsky! He stood by the other girl, looking bored, but I noticed that his eyes were intensely trained on the both of us...well, it would be more accurate to say they were locked on to just Anastasia who, by the way, looked just as frightened by them as I was.

Said girl cowed under the combined stares of the group before she released my hand and begrudgingly took a step towards them. “ _Privet...Sestra i Brat..._ ”

I didn’t think I could be more surprised than I was just five seconds ago. Did I just hear her correctly? Did she just refer to these two as her sister and brother?! I didn’t even know Viktor had siblings! To think a shy and sweet girl like Anastasia could be related to someone like him!

Said girl’s sister narrowed her eyes, looking none too pleased with the situation at hand. “Where were you Anastasia? We had been searching for you for hours now. Do you realize how much of our time that you had wasted?”

Anastasia flinched a little at the harsh tone and soon devolved back into her meek state from before. “I’m very sorry _Sestra_...I had gotten lost and couldn’t find you guys anywhere...”

The scowl on the older girl’s face only deepened before she suddenly snapped her head up to glare at me. It took everything within me to not immediately go into salute due to the authoritative aura she exuded. I felt like a soldier in front of her pissed off drill Sargent.

“You, woman. Who are you and what are you doing with my sister?” She demanded coldly and I gulped as everyone’s attention collectively shifted to me. Oh god, it was like I was being glared at by a pack of wolves!

“A...A-Ah, um...my...my name is (Full Name)! I, uh...just so happened to find Anastasia and offered to help her find her family...” I stumbled over my words, idly wondering why there were so many terrifying kids in this city.

“Hmph! Likely story...” She snapped back, obviously not believing me. “Who’s to say there you aren’t the one who took my sister in the first place?”

Okay, so this whole situation was going South _reeaal_ quick! Fully intending to clear my name and (if the situation called for it) beg for my life, I was surprised to see Anastasia looked just as frantic as I was as she suddenly perked up in alarm.

“W...W-Wait! _Sestra_!” She called out before quickly realizing what she had done and lowering her head submissively. “ _Spadarynia_ (L/n)...she didn’t kidnap me! I...I told you I got lost and she came over to help me find you guys so....please...don’t blame her...”

“Anastasia…” I felt touched that she was defending me, despite her obvious fear.

Her sister seemed to notice this as well as she gave her a careful stare before sighing tiredly. “We’ve wasted enough time already, so hurry up and let’s go home...”

Anastasia looked down-trodden at this but nodded none the less and obediently walked over to her family. I watched her go with a worried frown, noting how cold and distant the siblings seemed to be. I was surprised, though, when she suddenly stopped and whirled around to send me a bright smile.

“Bye _Spadarynia_ (L/n)! Thank you for everything~!” She called out, giving me a cheery goodbye wave. I blinked a little at the sudden mood change, but still smiled and gave her a wave in return. Anastasia giggled a little before turning to catch up with her departing family, looking like a small rabbit in the middle of a pack of wolves.

With her back turned, I unsurely lowered my hand, feeling conflicted at the whole ordeal. I...actually wasn’t sure as to what had just happened as the whole thing felt like a blur. What I did know, however, was that it was no surprise that Viktor had come from a family like that. If this is what the kids were like (barring Anastasia) I’d hate to see how intense their parents were.

 _‘Well, there’s nothing I can do now...’_ I sighed, before turning and walking in the opposite direction. Objective now complete, I focused back on what I was originally going to do. Hopefully the stores wouldn’t be too crowded now that so much time had passed...

\---

_So preoccupied with her thoughts on shopping, (F/n) didn’t notice how Viktor was giving her retreating back a lingering stare, red eyes intense and calculating._

* * *

**_September: Monday 4th, 20XX~_ **

* * *

There was many things in my life that I both expected and could never dream of. Getting this job (along with its many hazards) was unexpected, but meeting so many unique and special people was a pleasant given.

Sitting in a dark room under a fluorescent light while being surrounded by a bunch of kids who were holding me at gun point (even if they were paint ball guns) while my scary Russian student was glaring me down certainly wasn’t a scenario I expected myself to be in.

My day had started off normal enough. I woke up on time, managed to eat breakfast, navigated through light traffic, and so on. Things soon quickly went off the rails when I was walking down the halls of the 2p! Wing. I had passed a rather dark corridor when, all of a sudden, I could feel a bunch of small hands grab on to me and pull me into it. After that, it was a rather terrifying blur of movement. Somebody wrapped a bandana around my eyes and mouth and I could feel my hands and legs get tied up with some type of cloth. I was then pushed on to a trolley and covered with what felt like a blanket before being pushed to some unknown destination.

In my mind, I was already coming up with scenarios of my fate, each one becoming progressively more horrifying than the last. My unknown journey took some time before I stopped with a sudden jerk and had the blanket taken off of me. I was then sat up into a chair (a little irritated at the fact that I could hear my kidnappers complain about how heavy I was) and after a familiar voice commanded somebody to remove my blind fold and mouth gag, I soon found myself in my current predicament.

I literally had no idea what was going on. One minute I was on my way to work, the next I was being held captive by one of my students and his little gang. It was also super awkward because no one was speaking! For the past five minutes we all just sat in silence, me completely bewildered while Viktor was his usual stoic and blasé self.

“U...U-Um...” I nervously braided and unbraided my fingers as me hands were still bound. “I...don’t...mean to destroy this little... _moment_ we’re having, but...why am I...here?”

"We already told you _skolotāja_ ~!" A Latvian boy with short, curly black hair and wide dark blue eyes who I recognized as Emils Galante cheered at me, spinning his paint ball gun in a carefree, cowboy like manner. " _Priekšnieks_ wanted to see you~!"

"Um..." I mumbled back, giving the gun wielder a confused look. "I don't remember you guys telling me anything...you all just...kinda snatched me from out the blue with no warning."

"Eh?!" Emils cried out in genuine surprise, looking just as confused as I did for some reason. "No way! That's a lie! A big lie! A super speķa pīrāgi lie with extra bacon!"

"A...A-Actually Emils..." Stuttered another boy with short, ash blond hair with green eyes behind a pair of grey rimmed glasses. His name was Päll von Bock, an Estonian boy who always carried a laptop around. "You really didn't tell her anything. I tried telling you, but you just ignored me..."

"Eh?! I did?!" The Emils asked his companion in disbelief before quickly breaking out into a smile. "Welp, it wasn't like it was my job to tell her anyway! It was Karolis' job, right Karolis?"

Karolis Laurinaitis, a Lithuanian with messy, shoulder length dark brown hair that was parted in the middle as well as sleepy blue eyes, gazed at his two friends dully for a moment before perking up at the question.

"Eh~? Like, no it wasn't~!" He defended, letting out a little pout at the accusation. "I was only supposed to, like, tie her up and stuff."

"Really?!" Emils asked before breaking out into happy laughter. "Hahaha~! That's so weird~! Then who the hell was supposed to tell her?! Hahaha~!"

"E...E-er...technically all of us was supposed to tell her, but everything happened so fast that we didn't get a chance. Ugh, just remembering it is making my stomach hurt..." Päll mumbled, holding his stomach as he turned a sickly green color.

I sweat dropped at their antics before leveling a lost look at my still silent student. "Um, look...Viktor, I don't know what this is about, but I would really appreciate an explanation here. You might not care, but I kinda have a class that both of us should be in at the moment-"

"Would you care for some Sbiten ma'ma?"

"Ah, no thank you. Anyway Vik-"

I practically fell out of my chair in fright at the sudden appearance of a man by my left who was gesturing a tray that held a steaming cup of what I guessed was Sbiten (whatever the hell that was) towards me. It took me a moment to recognize the man to be that creepy assassin butler from two days ago! Where in the Ra-Ra-Rasputin did he come from?! His smile seemed to grow a little at my terrified reaction, but he nodded none the less.

"I see...then perhaps Mead would be to your liking?" He offered, holding up another tray that held a glass of an amber liquid. "How about some kvass, mors, or perhaps even Vodka to wash away your tense nerves?"

I gaped at the butler who was balancing all six trays on his hands, arms, and one on top of his head. If I didn't know better, I’d say that I was in some kind a fever dream. Getting kidnapped and held at gunpoint by a bunch of kids, being served drinks by some assassin butler who was also probably a magician, being super late for work; it was all proving to be a little too much for what was left of my sanity (why must this shit always happen to me?!).

Finally, though, my saving grace from all this madness came from somebody I’d never expect...

"Andrei." Viktor suddenly commanded, immediately getting the attention of the weird butler.

" _Da_ , _Maladoi Gospodin_ Braginsky..." He intoned professionally, turning to face the boy without the trays so much as twitching.

"Release her from her restraints." He commanded, to which the butler bowed in return.

"Understood sir." To my surprise and amazement, the older man quickly placed all the drinks on to the table in a blink of an eye, not spilling a drop. In the same breath, he took out a dinner knife and cut through the cloth that held my wrist and ankles together.

"There you go ma'am, free as a bird." He bowed towards me, ice blue eyes glinting behind his glasses as I flexed out the stiffness in my hands and feet.

"Uh, yeah...thanks..." I mumbled as Viktor turned his attention towards his three "Henchmen".

"Laurinaitis, Galante, von Bock,"

"Yes sir?" They called out in their own personal variations, giving their boss an eager look.

"Sit down and shut the hell up. You _duraks_ are giving me a headache."

I assumed that the three would be affronted by the insult (as most 2p! kids would be), but I was once again taken by surprise by the happy reaction he got instead.

"Yes sir!" The called back in various levels of excitement before immediately rushing over to sit in the chairs that were situated around their "boss" and briefly fighting for the ones that were next to him. Once all that was settled, Viktor gave out a tired sigh (that I lowkey sympathized with at the moment) and gave me a leveled stare.

"Let's cut to the chase." He began, lacing his hands together onto the table. "I want you to help me."

"H...H-Help you?" Well I certainly wasn’t expecting that. What on earth did Viktor need _my_ help for?

He gave a stone-faced nod, grim and serious countenance showing how important the whole thing supposedly was. "It's about...Anastasia..."

"Huh?!" The image of the young blonde girl from two days ago came to mind and I immediately grew concerned. "Why do you need my help with Anastasia? Is she okay? Did she get in trouble or something?"

"No, it's not that-" Viktor began before he was suddenly cut off by Emils who was hopping up and down in the seat beside him.

" _Priekšnieks_ wants you to make it so Anna doesn't hate him anymore~!" He cheered, tone certainly not matching his words or softening the blow of them.

Viktor gave a pained twitch, as if someone had shot an arrow through his chest, and a rather depressing dark blue aura began to exude from him. "Ah...she does hate me...doesn't she...?"

"Ahaha~! Eh?! Did I say that out loud~? No way~! Ahaha~!" Emils chuckled as Päll gave Viktor a frantic look.

"A...A-Ah, _Ülemus_! Anastasia doesn't hate you! She's just mortally terrified of yo-er, ah! I didn't mean that! She isn't scared of you at all! More like...like...like-!"

"More like she doesn't want a single thing to do with you..." Karolis finished for him, giving a tired nod as Päll practically turned to stone. "Which isn't, like, much of a surprise considering how troublesome girls can be, but you know that's life..."

With every word the boy’s spoke, Viktor seemed to sink more and more on himself to the point where even I was feeling bad for him. Suddenly though, it seemed like he quickly composed himself as the depressing aura disappeared in the blink of an eye. He quickly stood up from his chair and walked over to a nearby window that was covered by a black tarp...well, I had thought it was a window, but when her suddenly pulled off the tarp I was justly proven wrong.

Instead, it was a large portrait of Anastasia dressed in a frilly pink dress while giving a bashful smile. Spotlights seemed to shine on the giant portrait as Viktor fell to his knees in front of it and banged his fist on the ground bitterly.

"It's just not fair..." He whimpered in a sad tone I didn't think he was capable of making. "She's so comfortable with you _duraks_ , but whenever I get close to her she runs away...it's just not fair!"

"Aw _Bosas_ , It's okay~! Would it, like, make you feel better to know that we love you no matter what~?" Karolis tried (and failed) to console, patting the somber boy on the back along with the other two.

Viktor looked up and gave the three a blank, yet miserable stare. "Actually, that makes me feel like I swallowed hundred of red-hot needles."

"Yeah, but they're, like, red hot needles of love~!" Emils countered, hugging Viktor around the waste happily.

While I detachedly watched the scene before me, the butler from before, Andrei, came up to me with that unsettlingly pleasant smile of his.

"Allow me to explain for my charge ma'am." He began, vaguely gesturing over to the four children. "You see, _Maladoi Gospodin_ Braginsky saw how comfortable _Maladoi Devushka_ Anastasia was towards you two days ago. I must say, even I was surprised by how taken she was with you as she's usually very shy or frightened towards others. So, he believes that you can help him improve his relationship with her as she is quite terrified of him."

"I...see..." I turned to look back at my depressed student in a new light. I never seen him act so...expressive before. To be honest, I believed that he didn't have any other emotions other than boredom or anger.

I cautiously walked over to Viktor and crouched near him. "Um...Hey, Viktor?" I gently tapped his shoulder to get his attention and he eventually looked up towards me with eyes that looked more tired than usual.

"Well...I don't mean to disappoint you or anything, but I'm not really sure how I can help you with your...problem." I gave him an apologetic smile. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to help him out, but I had no idea how…

Viktor frowned up at me before standing up on more stable feet, seeming to regain some of his usual composure.

"I'm not asking for you to do anything fantastic," He sighed and looked back at his sister's portrait with sad eyes. "I just want you to teach me how to be...more nice."

"More nice?" I echoed backed and he grimaced in an embarrassed manner...

"Yes...more nice...more approachable...I saw how you managed to gain the trust of those idiotic brothers and how you gained Anastasia's in such a short amount of time, so I just want you to...teach me your ways..."

"My ways huh?" I mumbled to myself, feeling quite bemused. Well this was...different. I’ve never been asked to teach somebody on how to be nice before. I still wasn’t really sure what I should do...

Possibly seeing the indecision on my face, Viktor then did something that took us all by surprise. He suddenly squared his shoulders a gave a low bow, the scarf around his neck nearly touching the floor.

"... _Pozhaluysta_..." He spoke in a respectful tone that bordered on almost pleading. "I...I really want you to help me get closer to my sister...so please...will you help me...?"

I was stunned to say the least, and by the looks on his companion's faces, so were they.

" _Bosas_..." Karolis whispered as he stared intently at Viktor. He then adapted a determined look and moved next to him, also going into a bow.

"What are yo-?"

" _Ponia,_ please help _Bosas_..." He quickly cut his leader off, tone just as respectful as his was. "He, like, really needs help and you're the only one that can give it to him."

Emils and Päll seemed to be on the same track as they also went by their side and bowed. 'Please help the boss!' They declared in their respective manners and Viktor looked just as shocked at their actions as I was.

"You guys..." He mumbled, an iota of audible thanks tinting those two words.

I, on the other hand, was flustered and a little overwhelmed by the whole thing. I mean, how was I supposed to act in this kind of situation?!

" _Dama_ (L/n)." Andrei suddenly cut into my thoughts, looking down at me with an almost parental expression. "I don't wish to put pressure on you at all, but as the young master's servant, his welfare is my top priority. Therefore, I must beseech that you help him during this trying time. As stated before, he needs assistance, and you're the only one that can give it to him..."

I stared up at Andrei for a few moments before looking back down at my student. I could tell by how tense his shoulders was that he was preparing for me to refuse. My heart went out to him; it must be hard to be disliked by someone you cared about so much...

I sighed, shaking my head a little. There was no way I could refuse, not when they were all asking me like this. Plus, I wanted to help Viktor through his struggles. If doing this would put a smile, _a true one_ , on his face and would make him happy, then I’d do anything to make that a reality.

"...Alright, I'll help you..." I eventually agreed, sending the four surprised children a warm, indulging smile. "I may not be the most ideal person you could've gone to, but I'll help you. We can start tomorrow."

Karolis, Emils, and Päll all cheered while Viktor just gave me a grateful nod and Andrei a small smile.

I didn't know what this week had in store for me exactly, but I knew that it certainly was going to be a wild one...

* * *

**September: Tuesday 5th, 20XX~**

* * *

The next morning started off with Viktor, his little followers, Andrei, and I as we all sat in the classroom at one of the tables. The rest of the kids were having early morning playtime outside, so it was an ideal starting point.

"Alright, first order of business!" I clapped, sending them a warm smile. "We're going to start with your looks~!"

"Eh~?" Emils quipped in with a small pout. "What do you mean~? _Priekšnieks_ doesn't have to change his looks 'cause he always looks suuuper awesome~!" The other two of the "Baltic trio" (another nickname my staff-mates and I used for the kids) nodded along with their friend while a low chuckle followed soon after.

"Hoho~! While you three may think _Maladoi Gospodin_ Braginsky looks "cool", to many others he is quite terrifying." Andrei explained, idly polishing one of those dinner knives of his.

I turned and gave him a blank stare. "You know, I keep forgetting to ask you this, by how are you getting onto campus like this with knives on you? Do you even have permission from the school to even be here?"

"The only orders that I follow are those from the Braginsky family." He explained happily, knives glinting a little to punctuate his statement. _"And no one else..."_

"I...I-I see..." I muttered a little nervously before clearing my throat and turning to the subject at hand (note to self: Don't try to ask this guy for any favors...). "Anyway, when I say that you need to change your looks, I don't mean like your clothes or appearance and what not. What I meant was change how you carry yourself in order to be more approachable."

"...Well...how do I do that?" He asked, looking perplexed from this little " _lesson_ ".

I smiled and pointed at my face with my two pointer fingers. "By smiling of course~!"

"Smiling?" The four boys questioned, expression ranging from morbidly curious to mildly disgusted.

"Wah~! The _Priekšnieks_ smiling?" Emils wondered, looking up at the sky in a mystified manner. "I've never seen that before!"

"I don't think he's, like, even capable of doing that..." Karolis mumbled, turning to stare at Viktor’s face intently. "Do you think he can do it Päll?"

"E...E-Eh?!" He squeaked out, looking everywhere but at his getting-irritated-by-the-second boss. "Er...well, it's not that I don't think he can't smile it's just that I think it would be terrifyin-er, a...a-ah, well not terrifying, but just a little strange cause you know-"

" _Dostatochno_!" Viktor grounded out, pushing the Karolis' face away from his own as he sent me a grumpy stare. "Do you honestly think smiling will help me get closer to Anastasia?"

"Of course, I do!" I reaffirmed, nodding my head confidently. "There's nothing that screams _'I'm a nice guy!'_ other than an inviting smile~! Anastasia thinks you're always glaring at her, so if you start smiling at her instead then she'll feel much more comfortable around you! So why don't you try giving me your best grin~!"

Viktor still looked unsure about the whole thing, but it seemed he was determined to get through the lesson with good results. "...Alright then...I'll do it..."

While I did find it rather sad that smiling was not a common thing he did, I was defiantly eager to see what it looked like. The Baltic Trio, Andrei, and I gathered around him, feeling great anticipation for what we were about to see.

Viktor took in a deep breath, let it out and...!

.

.

.

_The hissing of black cats_

_The chimes of funeral bells_

_The shattering of glass_

_The cries of startled crows_

_The skids of a car crash_

_The crash of thunder_

_The wailing of a baby_

_The snapped string of a violin_

.

.

.

The five of us were frozen in our places, though I could feel every bone in my body tremble with residual fright. I tried _so_ hard to maintain the smile on my face, though that left it to look all wobbly and tense. The "Baltic trio" were also shaking, though they looked to be feeling a mixture of both fan boyish awe and delightful terror. The only one who didn't seem affected by the malicious power of Viktor's smile (if I could even call it that) was Andrei, who had kept his facial expression to be quite pleasant.

"...What is it?" Viktor eventually asked, looking put out and embarrassed by our reactions. "Was it…that bad?

"...N...N-No, of course not Viktor~! It's just that you have such a...such a unique smile~!" I eventually stuttered out, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but also eternally grateful that he had never smiled around Anastasia before. If she had seen what we had seen, she'd probably be traumatized for life.

"That was, like, totally awesome in, like, a winter is coming and we have no food kinda way..." Karolis said, looking spooked but sounding amazed.

"Ahaha~! I think I pee'd a little~!" Emils laughed uproariously while Päll removed his now cracked glasses to replace them with a new pair.

"Ah~! _Maladoi Gospodin_ Braginsky, you should smile like that more often!" Andrei wiped away a proud tear from his eye with a white handkerchief. "You'd be sure to strike fear into your enemies once you become the _Pakhan **(1)** _of the family~!"

"That is _not_ something you should be congratulating him about!" I snapped at him through clenched teeth before turning a sympathetic smile towards my now down-trodden student. I winced a little. Ah, he just couldn’t catch a break huh..?

"Don't worry about it Viktor, practice makes perfect~! We'll have you smiling like a model in a Colgate commercial in no time!"

"Minty fresh~!" Emils cheerfully yelled, throwing his hands into the air and earning a quick smack to the head with a shovel by Viktor.

I gave a tired sigh. Something told me that this was going to be a looong week...

* * *

**_September: Wednesday 6th, 20XX~_ **

* * *

"Complimenting?"

"Yep! Today, we're going to practice complimenting another person, specifically Anastasia~!" I regarded Viktor with a confident stance. "You see, everyone likes to be complimented right? So, I'm sure that Anastasia would appreciate a nice compliment from her big brother~!"

Viktor gave me an unsure stare, though nodded along to show that he was following my logic. "I see..."

"First, let's start off with things that you could compliment her on." I went on, pulling out a stylus pen while starting a list on the Ipad which projected on the apple TV above me. "Tell me something about her that you admire or like."

"Hm..." He began, face settling into a rather unsettling look as he looked down at his hands bashfully. "Well, there's many things that I admire about Anastasia...like how cute she looks when she's doing anything, how well she bakes and sings, how happy she gets when she sees cute animals, how..."

On and on he went, that dark blue miasma of his continuing to grow the more he listed things to "compliment" her on. Honestly, if it weren't so menacing I’d think it be cute. However, I knew Anastasia would most likely not be able to handle being around him in this state.

"A...A-Ah~! Well, that's a...good start, but let's try not to overwhelm her yeah?" I kindly cut him off, writing down more conventional compliments. "How about we do a little practice to get you warmed up?"

"What, do you want me to just go around and compliment random people?" He asked, clearly not looking excited at the idea. Of course, I wasn’t going to have him do that, though it was mostly because I knew some kids would be horribly confused if they had Viktor Braginsky himself come up and say that he liked their shoes (I had to admit, it would be funny though). I was going to tell him just that to reassure him, but a familiar voice beat me to the punch.

"Of course not _Maladoi Gospodin_ Braginsky," Andrei politely intoned, making me jump a little at his sudden appearance (how on earth was he doing that?!). He sent his employer a secret smile as he held up a light pink tarp in front of him, as if he were hiding something behind it. "Instead, we'll have you practice with them~!"

I felt a little apprehensive of what the butler had in mind, defiantly not trusting the mischievous twinkle in his aged eyes. My (and most defiantly Viktor's) fears were realized when Andrei lifted the tarp with a flourish, showing that he wasn't the only one behind it.

" _Privet, starshiy brat~_!" Chorused the voices of Emils, Karolis, and Päll who were all wearing blonde wigs and alice bow head bands similar to Anastasia's along with the school's girl uniforms.

 _‘What in the store-bought hell fire from Claire’s is this???’_ I could hardly believe what I was seeing and by the nearly nauseated look on Viktor's face, neither could he. He was violently trembling as he turned to look up at me with a look of deep betrayal.

"I'm beginning to regret asking you for help..." He mumbled in a hoarse tone and I could only give him a lost look in return.

"Wait! Wait!! Wait!!!" I cried, frantically pointing at the cross-dressing boys with confused and wide eyes. "I didn't have them do this! I don't even know _when_ they did this!"

"Hoho~! That would be my doing _Dama_ (L/n)~!" Andrei piped in from the side, looking quite pleased with himself. "I had thought of utilizing the help of _Maladoi Gospodin_ Braginsky friend's into simulating his practice as accurately as possible. Thus, I had taken the liberty of procuring articles of clothing and wigs that would complement _Maladoi Devushka_ Anastasia~!"

"Hahaha~! This is super weird, but super fun at the same time~!" Emils cheered from where he was standing, spinning around as if to make his skirt twirl. "I really hate it, but also really like it! Hahaha~!"

"Hm~" Karolis studied himself, lifting up his skirt (and showing that he was thankfully wearing shorts underneath) to get a closer look. "So this must be how the Vargas twins must feel...can't say that I, like, dislike it..."

Päll was the only one of his friends that looked mortified by the whole thing, yet he tried to keep it together as he partially hid his face behind his laptop. "Y...Y-You can do this Päll..." He whispered to himself encouragingly. "Remember, this is all for _Ülemus_...you can do it..."

 _'This is wrong on so many levels...'_ I rubbed at my temples, shooting the mastermind of this whole fiasco a sharp look. "Why do I have the feeling that you did this more for your own enjoyment than anything else...?"

"Whatever do you mean ma'am?!" The butler gasped in mock affront, trying (and failing) to suppress his grin. "I only have the _Maladoi Gospodin's_ best interest at heart!"

" _Bred sivoy kobyly_..." Viktor growled lowly, the red in his eyes reminiscent of hellfire as he glared at his four associates. "This is ridiculous! I refuse to even _look_ at those three when they're dressed like _that_!"

"Aw come on _Priekšnieks_ ~!" Emils called out to him, fluttering his eyes in a manner that made the other turn a sickly green color. "There's no need to be shy! Just look at me and picture Anna! Here, I'll start!"

He then skipped up to Viktor and clung to his arm in an affectionate manner, and I could already tell that this was _not_ going to end well...

" _Privet, starshiy brat~!_ " He cooed in a high-pitched, girly voice. "What do you think of my new hair band?! It's super cute right~?"

"Urg...!" Viktor looked as if he had swallowed a whole lemon, peel and all, and he sent me a pleading look, to which I could only return with a helpless shrug. While this defiantly wasn’t what I had in mind, I guessed that this was better than nothing.

"Er...just try to bear with it for now, okay Viktor?" I gave him a warm, sympathetic smile. "Just remember that this is all for Anastasia!"

This reminder served to strengthen his resolve, though he still looked uncomfortable with the whole thing, especially with how Emils was still looking up at him in an adoring way. He squared his shoulders and let out a sigh before addressing the other.

"Er, yes..." He grumbled out while trying his absolute best to keep his voice as pleasant as possible. "It is...very cute...your head band..."

"There we go, that's a good start!" I cheered, giving him two thumbs up. While it may have been a little awkward, it was defiantly a good step in the right direction.

"Tehehe~!" Emils giggled in return while cuddling closer to his arm. "Thank you _starshiy brat_ ~! You're so cool and awesome!"

"What about me _starshiy brat_ ~?" Karolis chimed in, saddling up to Viktor's other side and tugging on his blazer. "I got a new haircut, don't you think it, like, looks nice~?"

"G...G-Gah!" Viktor practically gagged before gritting out, "Yes...your hair cut is very ni-"

"Hey~!" Emils suddenly cut it, looking at his friend in petulant irritation. "I was talking to _Priekšnieks_ first, so wait your turn!"

"Eh~?" Karolis pouted before also clinging closer to Viktor (who looked to be trapped in a nightmare). "Don't wanna. I want _Bosas_ to compliment me too. Besides you, like, already had your turn. Right Päll?"

"Huh! A...A-Ah yes, well, your right it was his turn but shouldn't we not refer to him as boss since we-"

"See he agrees, so leave us alone so why can practice~!"

"Hahaha~! Hell no! I ain't going nowhere! Right _starshiy brat_ ~?"

I could tell that Viktor's already limited patience was waning by the way his dark blue aura was starting to exude by the second. Yep, that was an ample enough warming for me to intervene~!

"N...N-Now, now you two~!" I went over, giving a nervous laugh. "Let's not fight! You guys will all have a turn to practice with Viktor! Besides, technically it's Päll's turn to be complimented so-"

 ** _"No."_** The two chorused in refusal, hanging onto their boss' arm with increasingly tight grips. They then descended into petulant arguing and pulling that was definitely doing wonders to Viktor's nerves...and by wonders, I meant aggravations.

His red eyes seemed to glow demonically from the shadows that his bangs casted and I could see his hands every so carefully twitch to where he kept his shovel (I should really ask him where he kept that thing hidden).

"Ah, wait Viktor! R…R-Remember when I said that you can’t just bludgeon your problems away!" I cried and rushed forward to stop the imminent beat down. Päll anxiously watched the spectacle in front of him (while dejectedly mumbling about how he wanted to be complimented as well) as Andrei chuckled to himself.

"I see," He mumbled, pulling out a small black leather notebook and making a little note on it. "So even the costumes were ineffective...very interesting~!"

Needless to say, it was awkward to explain to the infirmary nurses why two cross-dressing students and I were covered in bruises later on that day...

* * *

The next few days of Viktor's _"Little sister approved"_ training was a whirlwind of a time and chaos. I never thought that teaching another person to be nice (or even just _decent_ ) would be so challenging!

Whether this would be seen as a compliment or not, I didn't know, but Viktor Braginsky was a natural born mafia boss and little to nothing would change that. He just exuded this intimidating aura that clung to him like second skin. While this was good for his future reign of terror in the underworld, it certainly wasn't in his efforts to get closer to his sister.

At this point, we had tried basically everything. Smile practice, complimenting, pleasant conversation role-playing, manners, you name it! No matter what we did, everything ended up being terrifying rather than comforting.

The lack of progress was clearly getting to Viktor and by the time Friday rolled around, he looked more depressed than ever before. He was sitting in the corner of the classroom, sad mushrooms and a dark aura surrounding him as he mumbled darkly, face half buried into his scarf. Andrei and the three Baltics were "banished" from his presence so he could have the peace of mind to sulk. Despite knowing that they had nothing but good intentions for their boss, I couldn't help but be relieved. They were...a very energetic bunch, and I felt some peace and quiet would do wonders for Viktor's already sour mood.

...Still, I couldn't help but feel bad for him. He was clearly trying his best, but I knew that I couldn't change a person's habits in just a week. It was going to be a long process, but the bad thing was that I didn't know how long it was going to be. It could take months, years, maybe even decades...

I carefully walked over to him, close enough to see that he was mournfully looking at something in his hand. It was a small and old silver locket with what appeared to be a moon flower design on the front.

"That's a very pretty locket..." I admired, smiling softly as he lifted his head to look up at me. "Is that an antique..?"

I placed my hand over my very own locket that was safely tucked away under my shirt. It was a golden heart shaped one that was a bit smaller than his palm sized one. It was tightly clasped shut as I had no intention on opening it up any time soon...

Viktor fiddled with his locket some more before he gingerly opened it. Getting his silent permission to take a closer look, I went to sit beside him and looked to see the contents.

On one side was a small clock that ticked ever so softly. On the other side...was a picture of a family of five...

"Is that...?" I began, and Viktor nodded with a solemn sigh. The picture showed Viktor, Anastasia, and his older sister as very young children. If I had to guess, he had to have been five while Anastasia was just a newborn. There was a beautiful and pale woman who was holding baby Anastasia with a soft smile. She had long, wavy honey blonde hair and lavender eyes that seemed to exude love and care. Besides the woman was a stone faced, brown haired and red eyed man with a matching beard. It didn't take long for me to realize just who those two were.

"As you can see, Anastasia definitely took after our mother..." He mumbled, looking down at the picture with sad nostalgia. "Of course, my older _sistra_ , Irunya, and I take after my father."

"The resemblance is uncanny..." I acknowledge, a sense of dread settling into my stomach as an unsavory thought came to mind. Most people kept lockets like this as mementos. Objects to remember the... "...Your parents...they aren't?"

"My father is Moscow at the moment, holding a meeting for the family..." He filled in after seeing my hesitant smile, frown deepening as he clenched on to the locket a bit harder. "My mother on the other hand...passed away from cancer five years ago..."

"O…O-Oh," My heart constricted painfully in my chest. There was little that I could think of that was worse than losing a loved one to a disease, especially one as awful and unforgiving as cancer. It must’ve torn the poor boy's heart apart..."Oh, Viktor...I'm so sorry...I-"

"There's no need for your condolences..." He quickly cut me off with a dismissive wave. "I have come to terms with my mother’s passing. According to my father, she was ill for a very long time. I'm just glad that she didn't have to suffer from it anymore."

I couldn't help but be awed at his mature mindset. Not many people, let alone a child, could grasp and accept the death of a parent so calmly. A part of me felt that he truly didn't feel as at peace as he claimed, but either way it was incredible. I wouldn't know what my siblings and I would do if our mother had passed away from a disease like that. We all would probably fall apart, being forced to witness the death or disappearance of another loved one in our lives....

Lost in my dark thoughts, I almost didn't catch Viktor's mumbled words.

"Anastasia's birth had proved to be too taxing on my mother's body. Several months was all that she had left." He had a sad and lamenting look in his eyes. "It was during those months that I truly...hated Anastasia. I now know it was wrong of me to do so, but at the time I couldn't help it. She was, after all, the reason why my mother was dying...being taken away from me..."

I silently watched him gently pass a finger over his mother's smiling face, as if he were afraid to hurt her. "But then, a week before she died...she had called me into her room and spoke to me...do you know what my mother had said to me that day, (Full Name)?"

I shook my head after a few moments and Viktor gave me a bitter, ghost of a smile in return.

"She had said...to not blame Anastasia for what had happened...that instead of hatting her, I should instead love and cherish her with all my heart. It wasn't her fault that she was dying after all, and she took the risk of dying in order to bring Anastasia into this world..."

That faint smile soon melted off like slush in the sun. He looked down at the locket one more time. "Anastasia was my mother's last gift to us...her last show of love and her last wish on Earth. She gave up everything in order to give birth to Anastasia and there was no way I was going to let that go in vain. I may have lost a mother, but I gained a sister in return...."

He quickly snapped the locket shut and then tucked it back into his shirt. "That is why I needed your help (Full Name)...the longer Anastasia hates me, the more I am letting down my mother...the more that her love is going in vain...and I can't let that happen...for Anastasia's and my sake..."

It took me a minute to notice the warm tears that trailed down my cheeks. My eyes burned from sadness and I quickly tried to wipe them away. "I...I-I'm sorry...I-"

"There's no need for you to apologize..." He sighed, still managing to keep cool while I was close to bawling my eyes out. It…it just wasn't fair! All he wanted to do was honor his mother's death and to love and care for his sister! And yet he could do neither, all because of some misunderstanding. Anastasia thought Viktor hated her and vice versa...

"In fact, I should be the one apologizing to you."

"W...W-What?" I gave him a confused look.

"I have wasted your time with my request." He elaborated, standing up while brushing away imaginary dust. "This whole week has ended with nothing in failures. I should have known it was a futile effort..."

“Th...Th-That’s not true!” I cried out, quickly getting to my knees as I looked him in the eyes. “This whole week wasn’t just a waste! It’s just as Thomas Edison (bastard that he was) said! You have not failed, you’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work!”

“Oh yeah,” He shot back challengingly, clearly haven given up on the whole thing. “Well, do you think we’ll suddenly come up with a solution on the 10,001 time?”

“Absolutely!” I beamed in determination, mind going to over drive with ways to get the siblings to be closer. “We just have to change our tactics a bit!”

Now Viktor looked curious, a small ray of hope breaking through the cloud of his pessimistic thoughts. “Change them how...?”

“Well let’s see...this whole time, we’ve just been focusing on you as a person...” I began, taking on an inquisitive look. “But we’ve neglected to really focus on the other important person in this ordeal, Anastasia!”

“Well...what do you suggest?”

“We need to go back!” I announced, standing up and hustling over to my Ipad. “Back to the basics!”

“And how are we going to do that?" He followed after me with a frown, and I sent him a huge smile, picking up the stylus pen all the while.

"Tell me Viktor, what are some ways you can apologize to someone?"

"Huh?" He muttered, looking a little taken aback. None the less, he furrowed his brow in thought. "Well...I guess just by verbally saying it..." He began, trailing off for a bit..."You can also make it up to them by doing something...or you can give them a gift in apology?"

"Cor~rect!" I cheered in a sing-song way, writing down the words "Gift Ideas" on the Ipad. "You see Viktor, we had been going about this thing the wrong way. Instead of worrying about future hypothetical situations with your sister, we need to address what has already happened!"

I quickly looked down towards him, feeling reinvigorated at my breakthrough. "The one way to get someone to forgive you and see you in a better light is to apologize if you've done wrong!"

"...Apologize?" Viktor echoed in surprise and I nodded, walking over to place a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"That's right. I'm sure any doubts Anastasia has about you will be dramatically lessened if you simply apologize. She doesn't know that the things you do aren't out of malicious intent, so if you just explained yourself and make your true feelings known, I'm sure she'll understand. And, what way you can do that better than giving her an apology gift?"

Viktor went into a deep, contemplative silence. It was almost embarrassing how it took me so long to realize that the very first step to clearing a misunderstanding is to address it. The siblings both thought that the other hated them, but if they just explained to each other why that wasn't the case, everything would become clearer. Of course, with how emotionally stunted Viktor was, this would definitely be hard for him. I had a sneaky feeling that everyone in the Braginsky family, baring Anastasia, wasn't the visibly heartfelt type...

"I...I-I don't think-" Viktor began, looking anxious at the thought, but I cut him off gently.

"Viktor, I know this may seem scary, but just trust me when I say that this will work. Don't let your fears keep you from caring for your sister. All you have to do...is just apologize and promise that you’ll never make her feel sad again..."

Viktor looked up at me intensely, and for the first time since I met him, I saw a child. Not a future mafia boss. Not the ice demon of the school. Not the evil older brother...just Viktor Braginsky; a ten-year-old who loved his sister dearly…

Said boy lowered his head and lightly fiddled with his hands. After a few pensive moments, he finally spoke. "... _Da_...okay (Full Name)...I'll...I'll do it..."

He gradually lifted his head, his usual tired eyes now filled with a strong resolve. "I'll...I'll apologize to Anastasia..." He spoke firmly and my smile grew brighter at this.

"Great!" I cheered, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'll do everything that I can to make sure this works out! First, we'll write down some ideas for an apology gift and then we'll work on what you'll say-"

"(Full Name)..."

"H...H-Huh?"

Viktor sent a ghost of a smile up at me, expression grateful. " _Spasibo_...thank you...for helping me..."

I blinked a little at this before giving a bashful grin in return. "Oh...well, you're welcome!"

The two of us then spent the next three hours going over our game plan for Monday. A sense of hope seemed to fill the two of us. Everything was going to work out. Something in me just knew it would! I had faith that they would work past this and would finally become close...

Monday would be the end and the beginning for both Viktor and Anastasia...

* * *

**_September: Monday 11th, 20XX~_ **

* * *

"Today's the day~!" I happily cheered with an encouraging smile. "Are you ready Viktor~?"

Said boy only gave me a blank look and a simple "Hm...", but I could tell that he was very nervous.

"Hey man, don't be so nervous." I assured him, reaching down while patting his shoulder. "I'm sure she's going to love it!"

The basket that Viktor put together was very well made and heartfelt. It was a pastel pink basket that held an array of things that he knew Anastasia liked, such as cups of strawberry kissel, Belarussian chocolates, a bouquet of pink cornflowers, a stuffed doe toy with a pink bow around its neck, and more. He also claimed that he had his apology memorized forwards and backwards, him having carefully crafted the words he wanted to say over the weekend.

It was now officially time to meet with Anastasia. He didn't have time to do it at home as he was swamped with his other duties (I didn't know what kind of "duties" a ten year old could have other than simple chores, but I knew good and well that it was more complex than that). School was the only place where he had a lot of free time (ironically enough) so if there was ever a time to official apologize, it would be now.

"You can do it _Priekšnieks_ ~!" Emils cheered while he, the two other Baltics, and even Andrei waved little flags and banners in support. "And if Anna still hates your guts, you can always run to me for comfort~!"

Viktor gave the four a dark look and began to threateningly mumble under his breath. I sweat dropped, laughing nervously and guiding the chanting boy away from the four. They...defiantly were a handful, but I knew that they meant well. They had supported Viktor (in their own unique ways) throughout this whole ordeal and were just as eager about this plan suceeding as he was.

"Those _duraks_..." He murmured darkly before expelling all of his aggression out with a tired sigh. I gave a small laugh, a part of me knowing that while Viktor would get annoyed by his companions, he still appreciated them all the same...

The two of us set off down the 2p! Wing halls towards Anastasia's class. It would be a good place start if she wasn't already outside playing for recess. Along the way, I made sure to constantly reassure Viktor that everything was going to be fine and that there was nothing to worry about. While she may feel unsure at first, I was sure Anastasia would come around when she saw his thoughtful gift and heard his apology. Everything was going to be just fine!

...Of course, I forgot to account for a little thing called Murphy's law…

The two of us had just turned into the hall where Anastasia's classroom was when a loud bang filled the air. We stopped, surprised at the sudden sound, and turned to look towards the source of it. To my great shock, I saw that it was the girl in question who was practically bolting down the hall towards us. It seems she had slammed the door to her classroom open, causing the sound.

At first, I was glad as now we didn't have to search all over the place for her. The longer I looked at her though, the more I saw that something was wrong. It was when she lifted her head from the ground to look where she was going that I saw why.

Anastasia stopped short when she saw that her brother was in front of her, tears streaming down her face at a rapid pace. Fear filled her eyes to the brim, but the longer she stared at Viktor, the more that fear began to tinge with an emotion that looked foreign on her.

_Anger..._

I didn't know if Viktor noticed this or not, but I knew he was defiantly disturbed at his sister’s miserable state. He quickly hid the basket behind his back and took a step towards her.

"Anastasia? What's wrong?" He asked, though the way he said it unfortunately sounded more like a demand.

She frowned before quickly whipping the tears away from her eyes and looking down at the ground with a hard stare. "It's nothing..." She muttered and I could see Viktor's own frown etch deeper.

"It doesn't look like nothing to me." He grumbled and when I saw Anastasia clench her fist in growing anger, I knew that it was the time to step in before things got too heated.

"Viktor," I began, reaching down to place a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe you shoul-"

 _"Anastasia Alexeyvhich Arlovskaya."_ She and I flinched at the stern usage of her full name and I could see that she was beginning to tremble.

"I demand that you tell me what's wrong with you." He took another step forward, which lead her to take a step back. Seeing this, Viktor seemed to grow more frustrated which lead his words to come out more biting than he intended. "Why are you running away? Why are you crying? Why won't you just tell me what's wrong with you? _Anastasia_!"

" ** _FINE_**!" She snapped out, taking the two of us off guard at how angry she sounded, her emotions her normally light lavender eyes turning dark and dull. "I ran out because I was getting bullied again! There! Are you happy?!"

Shocked silence greeted her question for a few moments before a deep growl from Viktor followed soon after. His red eyes flashed with rage as he grit out between clenched teeth, "Tell me than names of who dared to bully you right _now_!"

"Don't bother." She declined, sniffling as she gave the other a cold stare. "I don't want to risk you ruining my life any more than you already have!'

A new bout of stunned silence descended upon the three of us, though this one was much more oppressive than the last. I almost didn't believe my ears. Did she really just say that? Viktor himself looked dumbfounded, as if he had been slapped in the face instead.

"What...do you mean by that?" He eventually asked after taking a deep breath and I could clearly hear the rare sense of hurt in his tone. In return, Anastasia gave him a bitter glare.

"You know exactly what I meant! You wanna know why I'm always getting bullied and why I don't have friends?! It's because of you!" Tears began to fall anew, but she didn't bother to wipe them away, too caught up in her feelings to care about anything else other than to get them out. "It's because everyone's either a scared of you or hates you! It's because I just had to be cursed to be your sister, so nobody wants anything to do with me or they take their anger for you out on me! It's all because of you!"

Anastasia took a step towards her brother and this time, it was his turn to take a step back. "Is this what you wanted?! To make my life as awful as possible?! Do you really hate me that much?!"

"Anastasia! That’s not true!" I cried out to her, hatting the fact that the two were fighting like this, but she refused to listen, shaking her head in denial.

"Yes it is _Spadarynia_ (L/n)! He hates me! I know that he hates me! But you know what, that's fine!" She made sure to look Viktor straight in the eyes before finally screaming at the top of her lungs, " ** _BECAUSE I HATE HIM TOO!_** "

And with that, Anastasia turned the other way and ran off, her heated words reverberating through the empty halls.

"W...W-Wait, Ana-" I worriedly called after her, moving to stop her, but it was Viktor's voice that stopped me instead.

"It's okay (Full Name).." He muttered, head slightly bowed. "There's no point. It doesn't matter anymore."

"W...W-What?!" I whipped around to give him an incredulous look. "No point?! What do you mean no point?! How could you say tha-?!"

It was the absolutely miserable look on his face that stopped my tongue dead. This wasn't like the melodramatic dejection he had shown the numerous times that Anastasia rejected his affection. This look was much more genuine and raw. Her words cut deep, _too deep_ , and I was sure that they were going to be ones to haunt him for a long time.

"It's alright," He went on hollowly, bangs obscuring his eyes as he lowered his head some more. "I'm hated by so many people already, so it's no surprise that Anastasia hates me as well..." He then sighed before giving an understanding nod. "I can't believe it took me so long, but I've realized now. The only way to make my _mladshaya sestra_ happy is to leave her alone; to not get involved in her life anymore.

"T…T-That's not true!" I was aghast that he could even think that, but I was once again stopped by his words.

"Thank you (Full Name).." He spoke softly before turning away from me. "For everything...even if it ended up being a complete waste."

I could only stare helplessly at him before, much to my saddened shock, he suddenly broke out into a run, dropping the gift basket for Anastasia in the process.

"Viktor!" I called out towards him, but he proved to be too fast and he quickly disappeared from my sight. It felt like my heart got caught in a bear trap as I stood there, feeling lost on what to do next. This whole situation was just awful! How did everything go so wrong in such a short amount of time? I…I-I guess…there was just so much negative emotions and sentiments between Viktor and Anastasia that it all finally boiled over.

"It's just one big, terrible misunderstanding..." I murmured morosely, looking down at the lone gift basket. Seeing such a heartfelt gift of familial love go to such a waste was just too much. It couldn't end like this! It just couldn't! I had to do something to fix this mess!

I adopted a determined expression as I could feel my resolve grow with every second that my objective lay incomplete. Scooping the basket up, I quickly made my way through the halls. I had to find Anastasia...

* * *

It took me sometime, but I eventually tracked her down to one of Hetalia Academy's many gardens. This one was filled with black rose and was a personal favorite of mine for its gothic and striking beauty. I had never seen naturally grown black roses before, so it proved to be quite a sight.

Sitting under an oak tree, close to the edge of a large pond, was Anastasia. She sadly watched a couple of cygnets swim after their mother which appeared to be a gorgeous black swan.

I slowly made my way towards her, face molded into a type of soft grimness. She didn't look up at me at first, still stubbornly looking at the swans and their slow movements. I carefully sat down next to her and watched the swans as well. We did this for a few moments, before I spoke.

"You know..." I began softly and I could see Anastasia dart her eyes up at me for a second. "I remember when I was little, I had wanted this toy so badly that I was willing to die for it. To me, it was the one thing I wanted above all else, maybe even more than food..." I chuckled, and fondly shook my head at the thought. "Of course, that wasn't true, but to child me it was the god honest truth. I wanted the toy so much, but since it was so expensive, I knew it would be impossible for me to get it. My family didn't have a lot of money in the first place, so we couldn't spend it on things like that..."

I turned towards Anastasia and gave her a happy grin. "Now imagine my surprise when I saw that I had gotten the toy the following Christmas..."

“R…R-Really?” She looked surprised at this, but also a little happy that I had gotten the toy that I wanted so badly.

"Yep! I was on cloud nine that who~le month. I would play with that thing whenever I had the chance and never put it down. I made sure to get our money’s worth, that's for sure..." I went silent for a moment, my smile dimming a bit at my next words. "Unfortunately, my happy mood didn't last as long as I wanted it to..."

"...What...what do you mean...?" She whispered silently, curious as to what might've happened..."

"My brother broke the toy."

"E...E-Eh?!"

"Yep~!" I answered back with theatrical despair. "He broke it alright! I’m still not really sure how, but it was defiantly broken beyond repair.”

"How...awful..." Anastasia mumbled with a frown, but she seemed to be confused when all I did was laugh.

"Yep! Sure was!" I chuckled some more. "After he broke it, it was as if he had become Satan himself in my eyes. I said that I hated him and I refused to talk to him for as long as I lived. I would ignore him at every given chance and pretend that he didn't exist. I wanted to make him pay for what he did to my beloved toy, but my mom didn't tolerate violence in the house, so I had no choice but to give him the cold shoulder."

"...Hmph! Good!" She huffed, looking satisfied at my past course of action. "That meanie deserved it! He broke your favorite toy!"

"Yeah...he did..." I eventually mumbled, looking up at the clouds in the sky in reminiscence. "Well, that's what I thought when I was younger..."

"Eh?" She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"You see, it was almost exactly a month after he broke my toy, did my brother suddenly come up to me with tears in his eyes." I vaguely gestured towards my face, reliving the memory of that day. "I had never seen him look so miserable in my life, you know. He was always one of those "tough guy" boys who thought that crying made them look weak or something. As far as I remember, before that day, I never saw him shed a tear."

"...R...R-Really?"

" _Really_. It was shocking! At that point, I was more stubborn than mad, so seeing him look like that made me worry. Had something awful happened? I was going to ask him, but he cut me off in order to...apologize to me..."

"He...He apologized?" Anastasia asked, looking shocked. I grimaced a little at this fact. I wonder if apologies were a foreign concept to her…

"Yeah, I was surprised too...my brother was probably more stubborn than I was, so it was rare for him to apologize to anyone that wasn't our foster mother. He said he was sorry for breaking my toy and that he didn't mean to do it...that it was an accident." I sighed, a bitter-sweet look settling on my face. "Do you want to know what he said next?"

Anastasia silently nodded after a few moments.

"He said that...he said that he didn't want me to hate him anymore...that he wanted me to talk to him again...play games with him again...argue with him again...just...just for things to go back to the way they were..."

"Did…did you forgive him?"

"Of course I did." I answered back promptly, absently tearing at the grass under my fingers and letting it flutter out of my hand. "I knew that I hurt him deeply with my actions, no matter how justified they were."

"But he broke your favorite toy!" She argued back, looking perplexed and indignant. "He broke something that you loved!"

"Yeah, he did..." I admitted, nodding slowly. "But I realized something that day...just after he apologized..."

"What did you realize?"

"I realized...that out of all the toys, clothes, and everything else...that I loved my brother more than all that..."

"..."

I giggled a little at the shocked look on her face and settled a warm hand on her shoulder. "You see Anastasia, sometimes we say things that we think we mean but really don't. In the heat of the moment when our emotions are all jumbled up we can say hurtful and awful things, like I hate you, and believe that with every fiber of our being. That person hurt/betrayed me in some way, and I want to hurt them back...to make them feel what I feel in that moment...but after time passes and you calm down, you realize that everything you had said wasn't true. Deep down, you still love that person and would be devastated if something happened to them."

I turned and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I know it's not my place to say this, but I think you and Viktor should apologize to each other..."

"...I..." She whispered before stubbornly shaking her head and burying it in her knees. "I don't want to! Why should I apologize to him?! It's clear that he hates me and is trying to ruin my life, so I-"

"But he doesn't hate you Anastasia..." I tried to tell her, but she wouldn't listen, muffled words mixing with her growing sobs.

"Yes! Yes he does! I know he hates me! I _know_! There's no reason for him not to! I...I-I'm just some weak cry baby! I'm not brave like him or smart like Irunya! I'm just...useless! Just some useless baby who's the reason why _mamochka_ died-"

"Don't say that!" I shouted and she lifted her head in shock, lavender eyes glistening with tears.

"Everything that you said isn't true Anastasia." I repeated firmly, trying with all my might to convey just so. Something dark settled in my stomach at her words. I was surprised to hear her mention how her mother died in the effort to give birth to her, and I wondered if some asshole had told her that it was her fault she had died in the past. "Your mother loved you very much and I know for a fact that she would never blame you for her death. Your life isn't some burden, it's something precious, a gift! It's the product of your mother's wishes and love and Viktor thinks so too!"

I then pulled out the basket from beside me and handed it to her. She took it with wide, curious eyes, staring at it like some foreign animal.

"What...What is this...?" She asked, looking enamored by the gift. "Who-?"

"Viktor made this for you."

"W...W-What?! _Bol'shoy brat_ -?"

"That's right. He spent the whole weekend making that for you in order to apologize..." My eyes grew softer in sadness as I reached over to lightly tap the gift basket. "He knew all of your favorite things you know. Like how your favorite animal is a doe and that you like pink cornflowers instead of blue...He spent a whole week with me in order to teach him how to be more nice and approachable. He spent hours upon hours trying to come up with the best words to apologize to you. He has been trying so, _so_ hard, all for you. I...understand if you can't forgive him or if you're still unsure, but please understand that Viktor truly loves you, and nothing on this planet will ever change that..."

A cathartic sense of wonder was crystal clear on her face, a few extra tears slipping down her cheeks. Slowly, she looked down at the basket. She still seemed to be unsure of my words, years of her self-deprecating thoughts keeping her from believing, though now there was a strong sense of hope. A hope for me to be right. A hope that maybe, just maybe...her brother _did_ care for her...

Anastasia sniffled some more before quickly wiping away the last of her tears. An uncharacteristic look of determination colored her face as she looked up at me.

" _Spadarynia_ (L/n)! Please help me find _bol'shoy brat_!" She earnestly requested, and my heart seemed to lighten with every word.

"Of course!" I agreed, the two of us quickly standing up from the grass. "He can't have gotten too far, and I'm sure he's still on campus! We'll try to find him as fast as possible!"

After a quick call to my co-workers to explain that I was going to be late to class (much to their despair and the F.A.C.E family's apparent and volatile dismay), the two of use quickly set off through campus in search of her brother.

"Do you know where he might be?" I asked her, hoping to narrow down the search in any way. "Like, if he has some secret place to relax or something?"

Anastasia had a contemplative look on her face for a few moments before she came up with something. "...Um...well, I think I might know where to start...?" She explained tentatively, and I gave her an encouraging nod.

"Well, lead the way then~!"

* * *

Anastasia lead me through the many 2p! gardens before settling on a particular area. It was a garden that was blossoming with moonflowers. The gothic atmosphere of it all made for a beautiful picture and I was mildly surprised to see that Viktor was a part of it. He was sitting on a cracked stone bench, looking at the bed of white flowers with empty eyes. The whole scene was somber and silent, almost as if he were at a grave. From where I was standing, I could see that Viktor was tightly clutching on to his locket and I wondered if his thoughts were on his mother and his promise to her…

Anastasia looked hesitant to go near him, a multitude of reasons and thoughts paralyzing her into doe eyed inaction. It was only my gentle push forwards that knocked her out of it, and when she looked up at me, I smiled and nodded. Only she could take the first step forward...It was now or never...

Anastasia seemed to realize this as well, and she nodded back before turning and taking a deep breath. She gingerly made her way towards Viktor, reaching over to the moon flower bed at one point and picking the biggest one she could find.

She eventually stepped in front of his view, and as soon as Viktor registered her presence, he quickly snapped out of his daze and looked at her with wide eyes.

"Anastasia..." He whispered in mixture of surprise and wariness, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Said girl shuffled in place for a few moments before carefully reaching over to place the moon flower on his left ear. She stopped when she saw him flinch at her close movement, but after nothing happened for a few moments, she continued.

After placing it gently behind his ear, she quickly stepped back and gave him a wobbly, red-faced smile. "...I...I'm...I'm sorry... _bol'shoy brat_..." She softly apologized as a new wave of tears began to stream down her cheeks. Not long after that, she let out a sob and rushed over to Viktor, practically tackling him into a bear hug as she apologized for everything that she had said.

Viktor looked completely lost, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. His hands shakily hovered over her for a hesitant minute before they eventually wrapped around her to return the hug. He then buried his face into the top of her hair, and I thought I saw a few of his own tears brimming at his eyes.

I smiled softly at the sight, a sense of euphoria leaving my heart to feel light and bubbly. It was as if a dark shroud had dissipated, leaving the sun to warm me up again. I wiped away at my tears before turning around and walking away, not wanting to intrude.

"You are quite the miracle worker... _Dama_ (L/n)..."

"HOLY HELL!" I yelped, turning around to see Andrei the butler was sitting down at a nearby stone bench, a cup of tea in his hands as he smiled up at me.

"W...W-What the-how did you-where did you- _WHEN_ -?!"

"I have been here for some time now _Dama_ (L/n)..." He answered back politely, lifting his cup up to take a sip. "I've just been...enjoying the view..."

"I...see..." I mumbled out and Andrei chuckled, grey eyes twinkling in mirth.

"What's so funny?" I asked in suspicion. Andrei was such a mysterious man, his face always carefully crafted with a smile. I could never tell what he was thinking…

"Ah~! It's nothing...it's just that, you're the funny one _Dama_ (L/n)." He answered and seeing my slightly offended expression, he quickly clarified. "Of course, I don't mean that as an insult. I just find you...interesting is all..."

"Interesting...how?"

"Well, it's just...how you _do_ things...I guess."

"How I do things?" What the heck was he talking about? "Could you elaborate? I'm not sure if it's the language barrier that's leaving me lost here or-"

I stopped as Andrei put down his tea with a soft clank and stood up, bending down to face me with a curious smile that I wasn’t sure held good or bad intentions...

"You have done what not many could or would do. Is it because it is your duty as their teacher or just the righteous wish of a selfless heroine? I don't believe so..." He softly expounded, his words smelling faintly of mint from his tea. "Rather, it is because you want to do it...you truly care for and empathize with people...and that is a talent not many possess."

"C...C-C'mon man, you're making me sound like some kind of saint or something!" I stuttered out, unsure of how to respond to his words. "I'm nothing special. Anybody could do what I did, maybe even better. A parent, guardian, or even therapist!"

"Hm...if that is truly what you think. None the less, I must thank you...or rather..." He trailed off in a suggestive manner as he reached over and grasped my right hand. "On behalf of _Dama_ Karina, _Pakhan_ Alexei, and a lowly butler such as myself, I thank you."

He brought my hand to his lips and gave it a quick kiss. Holy one hell of a butler! I could feel my face burn red as he looked up at me with genuine appreciation. "I am sure _Dama_ Karina's worries have finally been put to rest..."

"A...A-Ahahaha~!" I hummed, quickly snatching my oddly warm hand back and giving a bashful smile. "Really~ It was nothing! I just did what I thought was right is all and- oh will you look at that I'm suuuuuuper late for class so I best be going now~!"

I quickly said goodbye to Andrei before rushing away. I did _not_ trust myself to keep up an intelligible conversation with him, so it was best to run away from my embarrassment before it made me say or do something stupid.

\---

_Andrei watched (F/n) leave, laughing at her clearly flustered state..."Ah...she's just so...amusing..." He hummed before sitting down and going back to his tea..._

* * *

**_September: Tuesday 12th, 20XX~_ **

* * *

I gaped at the sight that greeted me as soon as I rounded the corner of the hall where class 2-13 was. Lining the walls up to my class was a long row of (intimidating) 2p! kids on either side of me. As soon as they saw me, they all bowed simultaneously.

 _"Good morning Dama (L/n)!"_ they intoned respectfully, the chorus of voices echoing in my ears, making them ring a little.

"...A...A-Ah...Good...good morning...you guys?" I answered back unsurely, even giving a little wave as I hurried down the line of kids in order to escape to my class.

As soon as I entered, I saw that Viktor and the Baltic trio were sitting at a nearby table. His red eyes turned to look at me and soon enough, he and his companions stood and strode over to my slightly frazzled form.

"Good morning _Dama_ (L/n)..." All for boys greeted, also bowing towards me in respect.

"Uh...hey you guys..." I greeted back, giving them a confused smile. "Um...Viktor, I hope you don't mind me asking...but is there a reason why there is an army of kids outside my classroom?"

"Ah, yes." He grumbled, not looking at all surprised by my words. "Well, that was my doing."

"I noticed~!" I cheered, nodding my head while sweat dropping. "It's just that...why did you have them do that?"

"I just wanted to give you the respect that you deserved." He answered plainly, looking at me with high regard. "Words cannot express how thankful I am to you with helping me get closer to Anastasia. For the first time ever, her and I had the chance to just...talk to each other...to interact in a positive way."

"Yep~! Yep~!" Emils chirped from besides him, hopping from left to right. "I have never seen _Priekšnieks_ so happy before! Hahaha, it kinda makes me jealous, but I'm also super happy for him~!"

"Yeah, _Bosas_ also hasn't hit us with his shovel, like, nearly as often, and it's only the morning~." Karolis chimed in, tilting his head left and right in idle thought. "It's nice we don't have to suffer his abuse anymore, but it's, like, kinda disappointing because _Bosas_ always looks cool when he's hitting people, right Päll?"

"H...H-Huh?! We...Well I-"

"Right, so we also want to give ya thanks as well _Jaunkundze_ (L/n)~!" Emils cut back in, making sure to bow as low as he could in gratitude. The other two quickly followed his lead while Viktor gave them the stink eye, still not amused with their antics.

"Anyway, I just want to say that I am eternally grateful and that if you needed anything, my family and I will be there to help you out." He finished and I gulped at the daunting fact that I had a powerful Russian family in _my_ debt (if I kept going at this rate, I’ll have hook ups from organized crime rings from every corner of the world…).

"Uh, well Viktor, I appreciate the offer, but I'm sure I won't be needing it anytime soon." I sent him a warm smile as I proudly pounded at my chest with my right fist. "I'm just glad that you and Anastasia will finally have a closer relationship now~!"

Viktor stared up at me for a few moments before a small smile gradually blossomed on his face. It was the most honest and genuine smile I had seen from him yet and it was as if all of his past fatigue and sadness had faded away a bit. He said nothing and just gave me a simple nod. It was then that a small voice from not too far away caught our attention.

“U…U-Um…?”

We all turned to see Anastasia fidgeting over by the door that led to the playground, half hidden behind the doorway. "Er...I'm sorry...I'm not sure if I'm allowed in here since this isn't my classroom..." She mumbled and Viktor walked over to her, looking curious.

"Anastasia? What's wrong?" He asked, "You usually don't come over here to my classroom..."

She blushed a little and gave her older brother a shy look. "Well, um...I was wondering...if you weren't busy...if you could...please push me on the swings? O…O-Of course, I understand if you don't wan-"

"You three." Viktor suddenly ordered, turning to his three companions with a stern face. "Make sure to kick every _cyka blyat_ off of the swings and to save us a spot. Go now."

 _"Yes boss~!"_ The boys chorused, rushing out of the room to fulfill their duties. He then turned back to a surprised Anastasia and nodded.

"Are you ready to go on the swings Anastasia?" She lit up at his offer, looking giddy.

"Y...Y-Yeah!" She chirped and, hesitating only for a moment, reached out to take hold of her brother's hand. She sent him a cheery grin, to which he sent back with a more mild, but equally as happy one.

They turned back to wave to me and I watched them walk away to the playground, those line of kids from before following them faithfully, like bodyguards.

I had a content smile on my face and in my heart as I practically skipped towards my desk and fell into my chair, spinning around in it from the movement. It was time for me to get ready for class, but before that, I should call up some of my brothers and see if they wanted to hang out this weekend~!

* * *

While (F/n) was off making plans to meet up with her family, Viktor had to pause mid-push when his phone started to ring. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned to one of the Baltic trio. "One of you push Anastasia until I get back."

"You got it _Priekšnieks_ ~!" Emils cheered, rushing over to Anastasia and readying to give her a huge push. "Alright, Anna~! You ready to fly?!"

"E...E-Er, I guess so?" She answered back nervously, not liking the manic eager look the boy had on his face.

"Like, wait a minute you idiot." Karolis grumbled, coming to the girl's rescue as he shoved him out of the way. "Are you trying to, like, send her across the playground? _Bosas_ would kill you if she fell off."

Anastasia blushed a little as she felt him gently put his hands on her back and give her a push. "You gotta, like, do it nice and soft like this." He instructed while Emils pouted.

"Ha~? But that's suuuuuper boring~!" He whined before turning to Päll with an eager smile. "C'mon Päll! Let me push you on the swings so I can show that _zaudētājs_ how it's done!"

"Er, well, I'm not really sure I want to-"

"Yahoo~! Alright, let's rock!"

While the four continued on with their antics, Viktor looked down at his caller ID and gave a deep frown. He finally answered his phone and regarded the caller curtly. "What the hell do you want Xiao?"

 _"Aiyah~! Why so grumpy when it's still so early?"_ The Chinese boy replied in a playful manner. _"Jeez, who put some borscht in your briefs?"_

"Just tell me what you want already," He snapped, clearly not in the mood for the other's games. "I'm busy right now."

_"Ah yes, busy bonding with dear Anna right~?"_

Viktor froze at this for a moment before calmly regarding the other. "...Your information network is as reliable as ever. You haven't been at school for weeks now, yet you even know that much."

 _"Shishishi~! Yeah, well you know how I am."_ He tittered as the feeling of dozens of invisible eyes boring into Viktor's body assailed him. " _I just like to be informed about everything~!_ "

"So that must mean you also know about-"

_"Your time with that teacher? Yes sir~!"_

"...I see..."

 _"I must to say, I have to give the Nǚrén more credit."_ Xiao hummed in delight and interest. _"She's a miracle worker for sure. I can't wait to officially introduce myself to her like the rest of you have~!"_

"Xiao," Viktor began, taking on a stern tone. "I will not allow you to-"

 _"To do what?"_ He cut him off in a mischievous tone, as if challenging him in a way. _"To...perhaps get her fired? Maybe even...hurt her? Now Viktor, you make it seem like I'm some sort of violent beast! I just want to...play a few games with her, that's all~!"_

"That's what I'm worried about." He grounded out, getting another round of laughter from his companion.

 _"Now don't worry Viktor, I won't lay a hand on your precious teacher~!"_ He reassured, not that it was going to alleviate the boy's worries. _"Though, you should know that coming events cast their shadows before them..."_

"...What to do you mean by that?"

_"..."_

Viktor listened to the ominous silence from the other side the receiver, an uncharacteristic anxiousness befalling him. He wasn't relieved when he heard that laughter again and was even less so when Xiao spoke.

_"I'll see you next Monday~!"_

The call ended and Viktor stared ahead of him blankly. He eventually sighed and pocketed his phone, grimacing a little. He should've known this was going to happen. Xiao's ability to know everything was borderline omniscient, to the point where he'd consider him one of the most dangerous student in the school, perhaps even more than Luciano.

A helpless worry began to fill his chest for his teacher. Despite the debt that he had to her, there was little that he could do to help (F/n) in this situation. Hell, he couldn't even warn her without Xiao knowing...All he could do was hope that she would get through this next ordeal...

He sighed once more before walking back over to his group, steps heavy with tension.

_Monday would be the end and the beginning for her..._

* * *

_**And~Done! Did you guys enjoy it? I hope you did~! Now it's time for the after notes!** _

_**Characters:** _

_**Anastasia: For Anastasia (Belarus) I had decided to go with the typical portrayal of her, which was a sweet, yet anxious girl who gets intimidated by her much more scary famiy. Pretty much the exact opposite of 1p! Belarus.** _

_**The Baltic trio: Once again, I decided to go for the opposite route with the Baltics. Now, instead of them being mortally terrified of Russia, they're his number one fan boys! I thought it would be cute to have them fawn and respect Viktor as their super cool, awesome, can-do-no-wrong boss. Their personalities are, of course, opposites of their 1p! counterparts as well.** _

_**Andrei: Some of you are probably wondering who the hell Andrei is, but for those who may have figured it out congrats! I decided to make a 2p! General Winter! Of course, Andrei isn't some winter causing, killing machine apparition (or is he?!), he's just Viktor's personal butler (aslo, if your wondering that since he's there, 1p! General winter will make an appearance, then you are correct! Of course, that won't be for a while~).** _

_**(1) Pakhan: Accoriding to Wikipedia, the Pakhan is the big boss of the mafia, kinda like the Godfather. Of course, this isn't the universally used title for it in the Russian mafia, but you get the idea.** _

_**Translations in order:  
(Belarussian) Moy brat: My brother  
(Belarussian) Moya sem'ya: My family  
(Belarussian) Sistra: Sister  
(Belarussian) Spadarynia: Ms.  
(Belarussian) Privet...Sestra i Brat: Hello, sister and brother  
(Latvian) Skolotāja: Teacher  
(Latvian) Priekšnieks: Boss  
(Russian) Maladoi Gospodin: I believe this means Young Master, but there's a big chance that it doesn't, so who knows~!  
(Russian) Duraks: Fools/idiots  
(Estonian) Ülemus: Boss  
(Lithuanian) Bosas: Boss  
(Russian) Maladoi Devushka: Once again, I think this means "Young Miss", but I could defiantly be wrong~  
(Russian) Pozhaluysta: Please  
(Lithuanian) Mis: Miss  
(Russian) Dostatochno!: Enough!  
(Russian) Privet, starshiy brat~!: Hello older brother~!  
(Russian) Bred sivoy kobyly: Bullshit  
(Russian) Spasibo: Thank you  
(Russian) Mladshaya sestra: Little sister  
(Russian) Mamochka: Mommy  
(Belarussian) Bol'shoy brat: Big Brother  
(Russian) Dama: Lady  
(Latvian) Jaunkundze: Ms.  
(Russian) Miz: Ms.  
(Russian) Cyka blyat: I'm sure you all know what this means, but I'll still put it here just in case. There's no literal English translation for it, but it can pretty much mean bitch, bastard, and so on...  
(Latvian) Zaudētājs: Loser  
(Chinese) Nǚrén: Woman  
Thanks for Reading~!** _


	10. Better a Diamond With a Flaw, Then a Pebble Without.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (F/n) makes a gamble in more ways than one!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

**_September: Monday 18th, 20XX_ **

* * *

I stared down at the item on my desk with wary eyes, as if it were a bomb that could go off at any minute. It was a black and red ornate envelope with my name printed in crisp, elegant calligraphy.

I had come in this morning to find the envelope waiting for me on my desk, though I wasn’t sure who could've put it there as I was the first one to enter the classroom.

 _'I can already tell that nothing good could be in there...'_ I gulped with trepidation, the ominous looking envelope seeming to omit a threatening aura. Maybe… I should just throw it away and spare myself the headache? Ah, but what if it was something really important? Of course, it could also contain anthrax, but perhaps that was me being a _tad_ too paranoid? Still, given the situation...

I gave a mental shake of my head to clear my mind. This was ridiculous, being afraid of a little envelope! Working at this school was definitely messing with my mind. I needed to stop stalling and just open the darn thing, not wanting to let my fears get the best of me...still, just in case...

Carefully, I reached out and poked the envelope before whipping my hand back, as if it had burned me. After a few minutes of nothing exploding, leaking poison, or any other bad thing my mind could come up with, I deemed it safe to pick up the envelope and inspect it more. I flipped it over to see a wax seal with a Chinese character keeping it close. I tried to interpret the meaning of the character, but nothing came to mind.

I carefully opened the letter and pulled out the paper, reading the contents with a curious eye.

 _' **Néi hóu!** (L/n) **Xiǎojiě(1)** ~!'_ The letter began, the penmanship being somewhat hard to read, probably due to how fast and scratchily it was written. _'If you’re reading this, then that means that my no-good servant had succeeded in his mission! I am one of your dear students, Wang Xiao. I don't blame you for not remembering me, as I have been gone for a few weeks due to some business.'_

 _'How could I **not** remember him...?' _I thought, thinking back to the boy in question. It was true that he hadn't been at school for a while, but the memories of him during my first two weeks of working at Akutalia were still fresh in my mind. He was one the kids that most of the staff and students feared, arguably to the same extent as Luciano's infamy. He looked sweet and harmless at first glance, but in reality many saw him as a little devil with a nasty sadistic streak. Nobody wanted to be on his bad side, not even the security guards.

A sense of trepidation pounded in my chest as I continued to read the letter. Knowing my students, whenever they did something it usually spelled nothing but trouble on my part...

_'I am ashamed to say that I have neglected your class and have missed many of your surely enriching lectures. To apologize for my disrespect, I want to invite you to some tea during lunch today! I would like for you to meet me by the lake at the 2p! wing's third garden, the one where you had found dear Anna sulking at a week ago. Of course, if you aren't able to find it, then do not worry. I will send someone to guide you to it just in case. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read my letter! I hope we can have a pleasant **chayi(2)** together! **Zàijiàn** ~!'_

I re-read the letter over and over again, trying to comprehend the words but always falling short. This...was this actually real? Did Xiao really just invite me to have _tea_ with him? It was just so out of nowhere...and kind of ominous! There were a few rather alarming parts to the letter, like how he knew that the third garden was where I found Anastasia after she yelled at Viktor. There was no way he could've known that! Hell, I was sure _Viktor_ didn't even know that! So how did he...?

I wrinkled my nose as I sat down at my desk, cautiously puzzled. How the letter was worded left no room for me to refuse, especially since it also stated that he would be sending someone to take me there if I were late...Once again, ominous if not alarming.

“Ah~! What should I do?” I bemoaned, leaning back and throwing my hands up in the air. I honestly didn't know much about Xiao other than that he reveled in the misery of others, so I wasn’t really sure of what to expect if I were to meet him. I could only hope that the rumors I heard about him were exaggerated…

* * *

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's planning to kill you." Azalea bluntly stated, her two sisters simultaneously nodding alongside her.

"Yep. He's probably gonna put poison in your tea." Clover added with Iris quickly following.

"Or maybe he's gonna send an assassin after you!" She cried, looking genuinely worried for my safety. As a matter of fact, all three of them seemed concerned about me, which was both a sobering and rather panic inducing thought.

"You guys are seriously not making me feel better..." I mumbled, half-heartedly fiddling with the letter in my hand after reading it out loud to the triplets. I needed to discuss it with someone and seeing as that the three were some of my closest companions in this place, I decided to confide in them. Unfortunately, the comfort that I was hoping to get was replaced with even more dread of the upcoming meeting.

"Sorry (N/n), but we don't wanna sugar coat it for ya," Azalea apologized with a small smile. "That Xiao is one nasty little brat. I wouldn't let my guard down around him for a second!"

"Oh, he can't be that bad..." I tried to wave off, though I could tell that my words lacked the confidence to back it up. "Or at least any worse than the other 2p kids?"

"Ha! You wish he were like the others." Clover barked out a sardonic laugh, leaning closer to me to emphasize the point. "It's possible to handle those little hell raisers with relative ease, but Xiao is a whole other animal! Many call him the _"Shén yù"_ , which means _"Oracle"_ in Chinese!"

"That's right!" Iris quipped, actually looking a little frightened at the mention of my student. "It's said that he knows everything about you, from when you were born, where you live, and what color underwear you're wearing!"

"Ok, now _that's_ ridiculous." I nearly snorted. It sounded more like a conspiracy theory on 4chan than anything.

"But it's true!" Azalea implored, leaning over conspiratorially as well. "I heard he's managed to get five teachers to quit in just one day because he blackmailed them into leaving!"

...Ok, now that was a tad alarming.

"Black mail?" I repeated, getting fervent nods from all three sisters in return.

"Yep!" Azalea popped the 'P', eyes darting in a suspicious manner, as if she were afraid of someone eavesdropping on their conversation. "Apparently, he has this huge information network that's super-efficient. He has tons of data and info on a bunch of people and he uses it to control them to do his bidding or even sells it for a profit!"

"B...B-But how is that possible...?" I asked, feeling bewildered. Was it possible for just one child, let alone a person, to have the efficient information network that they were talking about?

The sisters shuffled a little nervously at my question before Clover sighed and gave me an intent stare. "Have you ever heard of the _Sì Xiàng_ Black Society **(3 &4)**?"

Well that certainly caught me off guard. Of course I’ve heard of the _Sì Xiàng_ Black Society. They were known as the largest Asian organized crime group in the world! They had branches in every Asian country, but what made them stand out was that no one, not even the majority of the members in _Sì Xiàng_ itself, knew the identity of the leader or their right-hand men. Looks, age, gender; all of it a complete mystery...

"The _Sì Xiàng_ Black Society?" I repeated with a furrowed brow. "What do they have to with what we're talking about?"

The sisters traded another hesitant look with each other before Azalea continued. "Look (F/n), I'm not sure if you really realized but most, if not all of the kids in class 2-13 are heirs to the biggest organized crime groups of the world."

This was also something that I was aware of. While it was daunting to think I was in charge of future underworld leaders at first, I had eventually grown used to the idea (or so I’d like to tell myself).

"Well of course I realized that, but it's really not a big deal..." I dismissed with a wave of my hand. "They're just kids. Besides, they're really sweet when you get to know them-"

"Ha! Easy for you to say..." Clover snorted, a dry look settling on her face. "You only have the luxury to say that because those brats adore you. I think you're the only person in this school who can get close them without getting maimed."

"W...W-Well that's because no one's ever tried to get close to them in the first place!" I argued back, only to receive those strange looks from the trio that were starting to annoy me a bit. " Look! Why is it that everyone in this school are treating these children like they were ticking time bombs?! They're practically harmless!"

"Yeah, for now that is..."

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Azalea sighed, her pink gaze settled heavily on my form. "Do you really think you're the first one who's tried to get close to those kids...?"

I stared at her, a little surprised by the question. Though it may have sounded presumptuous in retrospect, I had assumed that I _was_ the only teacher who had tried to take control of the class and get along with my students, seeing how wild they were acting when I first came here…

"There have been dozens upon dozens of teachers and substitutes who were assigned to the 2p! class..." She went on, looking rather tired all of the sudden. "And all of them would quit within a weeks’ time. I don't know what's different about you or how you managed to get those kids to like you, but consider it a miracle that it happened..."

“Wha…just what are you trying to say?” I asked, my throat feeling oddly constricted.

"What I’m trying to say is that while they just seem like a bunch of rambunctious kids now, they'll eventually grow up to be criminals." Azalea sighed, anxiously messing with a lock of her bright orange hair. "Some of them might not be so bad, but most of them will probably be...dangerous."

"Dangerous..." I repeated, not liking the bitter after taste it left on my lips. Sure the 2p! kids were more violent than the average child, but that didn't mean that they were capable of things like seriously harming another person or something even more serious like murder...right?

Seeing the confliction on my face, the Gardner sisters sent me sympathetic smiles.

“There’s no reason to feel bad about it (N/n)…” Iris tried to console, laying her hand on my shoulder. “They’re from a different world from us…”

“She’s right…” Clover grunted before popping a grape in her mouth. “They’re destined for great things in the shadows, so it’s natural that they don’t want anything to do with us civies…”

“Just think of it like this (N/n),” Azalea quickly chimed in. “You, being their teacher, will probably have some kind of good influence on them~!”

I looked at her with a wane smile, unable to muster up a more genuine one. Would my presence really be a good influence on them? I honestly didn’t think they would remember me once they graduated from my class…Still, I was determined to teach these children in the best way that I could, and nothing was going to stop me.

My meeting with Xiao would be in a few hours, but the dread I was feeling made it feel like an eternity.

* * *

"No!"

"Come on you guys, I already told you that I have to go!"

"No!"

"I'm going to be late!"

"No!"

"I'll give you candy if you let me go~!"

**_"NO!"_ **

It was now lunch time and I was anxious to meet up with Xiao. I wanted to know more about the young man and to determine if all those rumors about him were true. I had already told my co-workers about my plans and while they seemed worried about my safety, they understood and wished me good luck. All my affairs were settled and I was ready to make a head start to meet with my enigmatic student.

What I wasn’t expecting, however, was my other student's reactions; particularly Oliver, Allen, James, and even François.

The brothers currently had a hold on my legs, using all of their strength to keep me from moving a step. Most of their power came from Allen and James, who were surreally strong for two five years-olds!

"No! Ya can't be seriously thinkin' about meetin' up with that creepy freak are ya?!" Allen demanded, face pulled down in a rather cute look of consternation.

"Allen! You shouldn't call people names!" I scolded, though he didn't pay me any mind as he continued to hold on to me.

"Please don't go Miss (L/n)!" Oliver pleaded, the tears in his baby blue eyes threatening to spill over. "If ya do, then we'll never see ya again!"

James and François stayed silent, though even they looked disgruntled about the fact that I was going to meet up with Xiao. It was honestly mind boggling to me. Why was it that everyone in this school was so afraid of him?! What could a child possibly do in the short time that he's been on this Earth to warrant such fear and dismay?

"You guys..." I sighed, starting to tire out from the struggle of getting the four to release me. "You're being ridiculous! I'm just going to meet with Xiao and then I'll be back soon! It's not like I'm gonna disappear or anything!"

"But ya _will_ disappear! That's what happened to a buncha other teachers before!" Oliver cried out, doubling his grip on my leg when he saw that I was making some progress.

I groaned at this fact, already feeling myself begin to fall to the ground. If this kept up, I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere! I was wondering what I could do or say to get the boys to release me when a sudden voice came to my rescue.

“What are you _duraks_ doing to _Dama_ (L/n)? Release her at once.”

_“V…V-Viktor!”_

It was my Russian student indeed! He was looking at the other four with stern eyes as the Baltic trio were loyally standing beside their boss.

“Oi! What the heck didja call me ya bast-er, I mean jerk?!” Allen snapped, looking him with narrowed eyes.

“It seems that your deaf as well as stupid,” Viktor grumbled, looking annoyed with his yelling. “I told you to let _Dama_ (L/n) go. Can’t you see that you all are being nuisances to her?”

The boys twitched at the accusation, but still held strong regardless.

“W…W-We’re not bein’ ne…newsanses! We’re just tryin’ ta help Miss. (L/n)!” Oliver explained, his watery eyes narrowed in determination.

“That’s right! We’re tryin’ to keep her safe from that creepy weirdo friend of yours!” Allen argued back with James and François nodding along, also looking resolved. I honestly felt touched at the fact that they were so worried about me, but I also really wished they would let me go! My joints were starting to ache more than usual…

“Ahaha! Wow, you guys sure are fucking annoying!” Emils cheerfully laughed with his hands behind his back (actually, now that I noticed, the other two had their hands behind their back as well. Almost as if they were hiding something…). “You _Kretins_ should listen to _Priekšnieks_ if you know what’s good for you!”

“Like hell we’re going to listen to that _bâtard_ …” James bit out with a glare that could melt ice.

“We’re not leavin’ Miss (L/n) alone and that’s final!”

The group of boys then commenced a stare down of the ages, neither side willing to back down. I couldn’t help but sweat nervously at the tense atmosphere in the room. Oh man, this was _definitely_ not gonna end well. Just as I was thinking up ways for this to end without bloodshed, Viktor seemed to relent as he closed his eyes with a tired sigh.

“Fine then, you leave me no choice.” He mumbled before raising his hand and snapping his fingers. Immediately afterwards, the Baltic trio held up an array of very familiar items in their hands from behind their backs.

In Emils’ hands were both a baseball bat and a hockey stick, in Karolis’ was a jar filled with money and candy, and finally in Päll’s hand was a soft looking lavender blanket…

I could feel Oliver, Allen, James, and François stiffen as they stared wide eyed at the things in their possession.

“What the hell?! That’s my bat!” Allen yelled, his red eyes practically glowing in anger as he and James released their hold on me to stalk towards Emils.

Said boy just laughed, looking unbothered by the fact that he was about to get the ass kicking of a lifetime in a few seconds. “Ahaha~! Of course it’s your bat stupid~! Boss told us to pick it up!”

“H…H-Huh?! But why?!” Oliver wondered, anxiously looking at his stolen swear jar and François’ favorite nap blanket.

It was awkwardly silent as the boys continued to stare at each other. Then, in perfect synchronization, the Baltic trio turned around and booked it out of the classroom.

“LAST ONE TO THE LAKE IS A STALE POTATO PANCAKE!!!” Emils cheerfully cried out with the F.A.C.E staring after them in delayed shock.

“W…W-WHAT THE _FUCK_?!” Allen roared as he quickly ran after them along with the rest of his brothers. “GET BACK HERE YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!”

“ALLEN! WHAT HAVE I SAID ABOUT USIN’ NAUGHTY WORDS LIKE THAT?!”

“CAN IT OLIVER! I CAN’T PAY YA FOR CURSIN' IF THE STUPID JAR’S AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE!”

I sweat-dropped as I watched the four dash off in order to save their things. While I preferred a method with less collateral damage, I guess this was the only way to have them distracted long enough for me to leave.

“Ha~ I don’t know what I’m gonna do with those guys…” I sighed before turning to give my remaining student a tired smile. “Thanks for the help Viktor…”

“Hmph. It was nothing…” He waved off easily. “It’s the least I could do in wake of you meeting up with Xiao…”

“Ah, so you heard about that as well…” I muttered, feeling anxious all over again at the reminder.

“ _Da_ , I believe a number of students have caught wind of your meeting with him…”

“Well, I’m hoping you don’t mind giving me some advice to survive this?”

At the silent, impassive stare Viktor gave me in response, I slumped down on myself dejectedly. “Figures…guess I’m gonna have to go into this blind then…”

Viktor blinked up at me slowly, face half buried in his scarf. _“…Yǐ dú gōng dú.”_

I gave him a bewildered look in return. “Pardon me?”

“It’s a Chinese proverb. It means to fight poison with poison…” He explained as I slowly nodded in understanding…

“Okay…but why did you suddenly bring that up?”

“I brought it up because Xiao is an infuriating bastard who can convince you that up means down and that night is day in a single conversation.”

“…Okay, I think I understand.” I said, not understanding a single thing that was coming out of his mouth. “But maybe you should clarify a little…you know, just in case.”

Viktor sighed before dead-panning, “If you want to beat Xiao, then you’re going to have to beat him at his own game. When he tries to confuse or trick you, then trick him back. Take him off guard and surprise him. If you can do that, then you might have a chance of triumphing over him…”

“Trick him back huh?” I muttered with a small smile, rubbing the back of my neck. “Sounds easier said than done, but I’ll try. Thanks for the heads-up Viktor.”

He merely nodded in response before he walked away, probably to watch the chaos that was surely going down at the lake.

I sighed and turned to make my way to the lake that Xiao said to meet up at with squared shoulders. I could do this. Everything was going to go fine. There was nothing to fear. I can do thi-

 _“HOLY MOTHER OF SAKURAI!!!”_ I shrieked, nearly colliding with one of the most terrifying things I’ve seen in a while.

What looked to be a man was standing oddly close behind me and if that wasn’t eerie enough, he was wearing what looked to be a disturbing knock off Hello Kitty costume head. He was also dressed in a dark purple qipao and a pair of black pants and purple slippers. I didn’t know where or when he (or it) came from, and the fact that I didn’t notice when he showed up was enough to put me on edge.

The two of us stared(?) at each other, neither daring to make a move. The silence and unease was thick enough to nearly choke me.

“U…U-Um?” I muttered, voice shaky and uncertain. “C…C-Can I help you with something…sir?”

The guy/thing didn’t make a sound and continued to stand statue still. At this point, I was sure that I was in some kind of fever dream. Were my nerves so bad that I began to hallucinate? I couldn’t think too long on the idea as the man finally moved.

For seemingly no reason at all, the unknown man dabbed…like, honest to God got down on one knee and fucking _dabbed_. I swore I could’ve also saw bright, purple sparkles coming off of him like a Christmas tree as he did this.

My eyes went blank with shock, brain shutting down due to being unable to comprehend what was happening.

 _‘Ah, is this a death omen?’_ I wondered numbly as the man then stood up straight, did a complete (and elegant might I add) pirouette, and held his hand out to me.

I flinched back but noticed that he held a card in his hand. It seems as if he were waiting for me to take it. I gingerly reached out and snatched the card away before he could grab me or something. I looked down at it and read what it said.

“Minikuiko-han **(5)** …personal butler of Wang Xiao _Shàoyé_ …” I muttered before slowly looking up at the man with a dawning realization.

“O…O-Oh! You must be…the "servant" that Xiao mentioned in the letter. Y’know…the one who was supposed to get me if I was late…”

The now named “Minikuiko-han” gave a curt nod, still not making a sound while frozen in the pirouette of his.

“O…kay then, well I guess you could…lead the way?” I motioned towards him and he nodded again before silently moonwalking out of the room.

I watched him slide out the door before looking up at the sky helplessly. _‘May the lord himself give me strength…’_

* * *

The walk to the pond was probably the most uncomfortable journey I had ever taken. “Minikuiko-han” kept taking me off guard with the strange ways he would travel, be it to hop on one foot, suddenly get down on a crab walk, or even do some cartwheels. Plus the fact that he hardly made a sound was seriously creeping me out!

Eventually (and thankfully) though, we finally made it to the pond. I could spot the familiar, messy mop of black hair and cunning red eyes as I made my way closer to mt student. I also noticed that he had a stuffed animal that looked just like the mascot costume Minikuiko-han was wearing.

 _'Where the hell did he get such a disturbing toy?'_ I wondered, though something told me that I was better off not knowing where such a cursed object could be found.

“ _Xiàwǔ hǎo_ (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_!” Xiao greeted rather cheerfully, a complete contrast to how I was feeling at the moment. He was seated at a stone picnic table that was covered in a red cloth. On it, an array of tantalizing snacks like steamed rice rolls, pork dumplings, pineapple bread, and more was laid out for the taking. A tea set was also prepared, a waft of warm steam coming up from the portable kettle that he was using.

“Uh, hello…Xiao…” I muttered unsurely as Minikuiko-han began to _“West Side Story”_ snap his way over to Xiao.

“It seems my useless servant succeeded in finding you after all!” He chirped before looking at the man. “I was getting bored y’know! What the hell took you so long?”

Minikuiko-han stopped in front of Xiao, began to do the _Macarena_ , and then promptly saluted.

“Oh? So she was being held up by her little puppy squad?” Xiao asked, somehow interpreting the man’s weird dance. “Hmm, I guess I should’ve expected as much…”

 _‘How the hell did he understand him…?’_ I sweat dropped as the man began to _Milly Rock_ for a few moments before dramatically pointing up at the sky. _‘This is so wrong in so many ways…’_

“I see, well good work Minikuiko-han!” Xiao nodded before waving his hand in the “Shoo! Shoo!” motion. “Your existence is no longer needed at the moment, so fuck off~!”

 _‘Er, I hope he meant to say **assistance** rather than **existence** …’ _I inwardly mumbled, a little taken aback by the rude (and emotionally damaging) dismissal. Minikuiko-han didn’t seem to mind though, as he professionally saluted before running towards the pond, jumping into it, and swimming away at jetboat speed.

I blankly watched him swim away, still not sure if the past twenty minutes really happened or not. Everything was just a blur of confusion and terror and I just wanted to go home and sleep the whole thing off.

Xiao didn’t bat an eye at the strange man’s unorthodox actions and only leveled me with a big grin. “Now then (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_! Why don’t you sit down and we can finally get this tea party started!”

I nodded and anxiously walked over to the table, settling down on the cold stone bench as a crisp breeze blew past me. The first day of fall was approaching and already the leaves were turning those gorgeous Autumn colors. I normally would’ve been completely relaxed in such a setting, but the close presence of my infamous student kinda kept me from completely enjoying it.

“Go on, help yourself!” Xiao kindly gestured towards the array of food before reaching over towards the tea kettle. “I’ll prepare your tea in the meantime~”

I cautiously began to pile some of the food on a little saucer while watching Xiao prepare the tea out of the corner of my eye. I was in awe at how swift and elegant he moved. I had seen a few Tea Ceremony videos on YouTube, but the way that he did it seemed more professional and experienced than any one of them. In no time at all, I was being offered a steaming cup of green tea in a gorgeous, Autumn themed ceramic teacup.

“A…A-Ah…thank you so much Xiao…” I gave him a small smile as I gingerly accepted the cup from him.

“Shishishi~! You’re welcome (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_!”

I held the teacup close to me and inhaled the soothing, chestnut like fragrance. It actually served to calm me down a bit as I took a few cautious sips (and ignoring the tiny, paranoid voice in my head that wondered if the tea was poisoned at all).

“This…is really good!” I tried not to sound so surprised about it, but I couldn’t help myself. It was rare for me to drink green tea that didn’t leave a bitter, fishy after taste. It was quite refreshing!

“Oh, you flatter me~!” Xiao waved dismissively before he also began to pile food on his plate. “Don’t neglect the food either! I had the best chefs in my family prepare these, so it’d be a shame to waste them. They’re better eaten warm than cold~!”

I nodded before taking a bite out of a dumpling, nearly groaning in bliss at the savory taste. It was absolutely delicious, much better than the cheap Chinese food I would get. My hands didn’t hesitate in picking up the other snacks at my disposal. If there was one way to cheer me up or calm me down, it was food!

I was so engrossed in indulging myself, I didn’t notice that Xiao was staring intently at me. He had a secret smile on his face, though his eyes gave away nothing. It was…actually rather unnerving, enough so that it made me slow down on my snacking and blush self-consciously.

“Uh…?” I muttered after swallowing the food. “What is it? Is there something on my face?”

“Other than sweet and sour sauce and shame?” Xiao tilted his head with a chuckle. “Then no, not at all!”

“A…A-Ah…I see...” I sweat-dropped at his biting words. It seems he had no qualms with using brutal honesty…

“Well anyway, enough about that!” Xiao clapped his hands together with an eager look. “I say we liven things up with a game of Dominoes!”

“D…D-Dominoes?” I looked at him in bewilderment. Why on Earth did he suddenly suggest playing dominoes?

“Yep! I feel like it would be too boring to just talk, so let’s play Dominoes while doing so!” Xiao’s eyes took on a strange, rather intimidating glint that defiantly didn’t match the sweet smile on his face. “You don’t mind… _right?_ ”

“O…O-Of course not!” I stuttered (why were nearly all of my students so _terrifying_?!).

Xiao cheered, that scary look of his melting away as he pulled out a golden box. He pulled the lid off to reveal a bunch of dominoes that looked to have been made out of jade. I marveled at the fact, especially when I noticed that the dots seemed to be made out of actual gold! Those things were probably more expensive than my car!

“I’m assuming you know how to play dominoes (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_?”

“Uh, yeah I do.” I nodded hesitantly. “My mom and her friends would play it whenever they met up, so I at least know the basics…”

“Wonderful! Then let’s get started shall we~?”

* * *

Who would’ve thought that having lunch and playing a simple game with a pre-teen could be so intimidating (though at this point, I really shouldn’t have been surprised)? In any other situation, this would’ve served as a pleasant picnic. Now though, I felt like I was gambling the mortgage of my house at a casino with the devil.

Xiao placed his dominoes down with an unerring confidence that not many posed (Myself included). The only reason why I hadn’t immediately lost was only because of how much I watched my mother play it.

“So, (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ …” Xiao began, placing a six-dot domino next to another six dot one. “What made you want to teach at Hetalia Academy?”

“Um…” I trailed off, a little taken a back. The two of us spent the whole time setting up the dominoes in silence, so I kinda forgot that he also wanted to speak to me about something, let alone ask me a question. “Well, I wouldn’t say that I planned on working at Hetalia Academy per se…”

“Ah yes, you only found yourself here due to a personal recommendation from Vargas _Xiàozhǎng_ , correct?” Xiao asked, though how he worded it made me think that there was no reason for him to.

“Er, yes…that’s correct…” I added another domino to the gradually expanding line. “I guess you could say it was a…spur of the moment hiring.”

“I thought as much!” Xiao nodded with a big grin. “After all, it’s rare for an esteemed academy as this to hire under-qualified teachers to work here! I knew your hiring had to be through some unorthodox means~!”

 _‘Wow, way to throw some shade…’_ I said nothing to this, though I couldn’t help but feel insulted by his words. Yes, while it was true that I may have not been qualified to work here through normal means, it still dealt a blow to my pride to hear it spelled out so bluntly. Nevertheless, he did have a point. If I was perfectly honest, if it wasn’t for Mr. Julius, I would have never gotten this job…

I frowned and I could’ve sworn Xiao’s grin grew a little bigger because of it. He chuckled, placing his sleeve covered hand over his mouth in a vain effort to muffle it.

“Though, it might also have to do with the fact that they were running out of staff to teach the 2p! class…” He muttered, tilting his head a little. “We’ve become rather infamous in the substitute teacher circle ya know? Not even the old teachers from Akutalia want to come back and deal with us! Shishishi~!”

I grimaced a little. Sad as it may be, it was the truth. With how rowdy and uncontrollable the 2p! wing was, it was next to impossible to get people to stay and teach the kids for a long period of time. It was to the point where the only thing that could draw substitutes in was the insane amount of money they could get in return. Of course, even that would be enough to keep them at the job for at least a few weeks.

“It’s amazing how spineless a lot of you adults are!” Xiao gave a theatrical sigh while shaking his head in disappointment. “You would think they could handle a few energetic kids, but I guess that’s not the case.”

“Well, it’s not their fault.” I blurted out in their defense. “The kids in the 2p! class are hard to manage under normal circumstances. Some people just can’t deal with the stress of working under such a hostile environment.”

“And you’re not one of those people, are you (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_?” Xiao asked, mouth still covered by his long sleeve.

“I’d like to believe so, yes…” I answered with a prompt nod and a proud smile. “I think by this point, I’ve gotten used to teaching in my class.” Though “teaching” was the operative word here. I’d say I was managing at best. Though, when compared to the rest of my fellow workmates, I had made immense progress.

“A natural adaption for sure!” Xiao cheered, finally removing his hand to reveal a grin sharper than usual. “After all, however, you wouldn’t get paid if you weren’t able to do so~”

“W…W-Well…I’ll admit that that’s part of it, but really it’s just so I can teach and get to know you all some more.” I mumbled, not liking the implications to his tone.

“Oh really~?” Xiao looked close to cackling as he gave me a deriding look. “Are you sure it’s not because you enjoy all those zeros in your bank account~?”

I bristled a little at this but managed to keep my irritation at bay. Everybody had warned me that Xiao had a habit of pushing your buttons, but what kind of adult would I be if I fell for such provocations from a child?

I squared my shoulders and sent the boy the most genuine smile I could muster. “I can see your point, but money isn't the reason why I'm still teaching here. I'm here because I love my job and I love teaching you all!"

Xiao blinked before a faint frown crossed his face for but a moment. He closed his eyes and hummed pleasantly to himself. “Hmm…a noble sentiment. Bullshit, but noble.”

“B…B-Bu-?!” I stuttered out in shock and his smile returned with a sadistic vengeance.

“Yes, _bullshit_.” He reaffirmed, leaning back in a relaxed pose. “Do you honestly think I’m going to believe this so-called sentiment that you claim to have for us? You've been terrorized by us for weeks, so I doubt you have any love or care for us at this point.”

“That’s not true!” I cried out, insulted. I didn’t think that at all! Yes, the 2p! kids could be tough to handle and there have been times when they’ve driven me up the wall, but I can’t deny that I’ve grown attached to them. They were my students, and I cared for them dearly!

Xiao wasn’t listening as he went on, as if he had everything figured out. “You probably can’t wait to quit and get out of this hell hole yeah? You wouldn’t be the first one to think so. Plenty of teachers before you had tried to make the effort to get to know us, but they always left with spite and hate in their eyes and you’ll be just like them soon enough.”

“I-!” I gripped my fist that laid on my lap, the sensation of irritation and hurt bubbling up in my chest. _‘Calm down, just calm down…’_ I repeated, hating how little control I had over my temper. I couldn’t fall for his provocations. I couldn’t!

“I mean, why even bother to stay in this wing?” He asked rhetorically, uncaring of the effect his words were having on me. “I’m pretty sure all you need to do is call up Vargas _Xiàozhǎng_ , flutter your eyes at him, and ask to be moved to the 1p! wing and you’ll be free!”

_‘Calm down…calm down…’_

“Or better yet,” He simpered, vaguely offering his hand to me. “Why don’t you just quit and work somewhere else? With the money you’ve made already, you’d be set for a long time and I’ll even be whiling to offer you a price that doubles your current salary.”

_‘Calm down. Calm down. Calm down-‘_

“After all, it’s not like you actually give a rat’s ass about teaching-“

Everything went white, my patience snapping like a guitar string that was strung too tight. Before I knew it, my hand moved on its own as it raised in the air and slammed onto the table with enough force to crack it a little.

Dead, tangible silence hung in the air and through the anger that clouded my vision, I could see Xiao was looking at my hand (and the crack) in dumbfounded awe.

 _‘He’s finally silent. Truly a miracle…’_ I mentally gritted out, as I tried to calm my breathing down and will myself to stop shaking.

“Y…Y-You…shouldn’t say such awful things…” I tried to keep my voice stable as I flexed my hand to stave off the inevitable ache. I knew I’d regret my rash actions soon, but for now I was focused on the conversation at hand. “I’ll admit that I don’t know much about you guys, but the same goes for you. Don’t assume you know me because you’ve read some files on me. You don’t know my morals, my ambitions, or my feelings so do _not_ think you can sit here and mock them.”

Xiao simply blinked, looking truly at a loss of words for the first time since I’ve met up with him.

“I don’t care about personal gain or any of the things you insinuated.” I went on, voice gaining more strength and confidence with every word. “Ever since I was young, I always wanted to be a teacher. Not for the money or status, just to teach and prepare kids for the life ahead of them. I probably won’t be able to change your opinion on me personally, but I will not sit idle while you question my dreams!”

Xiao looked at me with a blank stare and was eerily still. The sight served to dowse the flames of my ire, leaving me tired and rather unnerved. I…didn’t mean to snap at him like that, it just…all came out like a tidal wave.

 _‘I guess what everyone said is true. He does have a way of getting under your skin…’_ I thought, feeling a wave of shame come over me. What on earth was wrong with me, yelling at my student in such a way?

“I…I-I’m sorry Xiao,” I mumbled, awkwardly straightening up the cups that had been toppled over when I slammed the table (thank God none of them shattered). “I don’t…I don’t know what came over me…”

Xiao was silent for a few more moments before his usual small came to his face. “Shishishi~! No need to apologize (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_! In fact, I should be the one apologizing to you.”

“O…O-Oh no, it’s fine! I’m sure you didn’t mean it-“

“Oh no, I did mean it.” Xiao quickly cut me off. “After all, a demon child like me usually says things that unsettles others. I think it’s fun!”

I froze, blinking at him in confusion. “Wha…what did you just say?”

“Hm~? What’s wrong? Are you surprised that I like to make people feel uncomforta-?“

“N…N-No! I mean, while that is concerning, I was referring to what you called yourself!” I leaned in closer, giving him a concerned look. “Did you just call yourself a demon?”

It was Xiao’s turn to look a little put out by my words, as if puzzled as to why that was the part I was concerned about. This only last a few seconds though, and he responded in that chipper way of his. “Ah, yes I did! Why do you ask?”

“Why do I ask…?” I repeated incredulously. Was he serious? “I asked because I’m concerned that you would call yourself that! Why on Earth would you think that you’re a demon?”

“Shishishi~! Well, it’s because I am!” He cheerfully answered back before leaning towards me with a sharp grin. “I’m sure you’ve heard rumors about me before, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you.”

He laughed once more and began to toss his Minikuiko-han doll up and down in the air. “It’s true, it’s true! I’m actually a demon! An evil little demon who shouldn’t have been born on this Earth~!”

“That’s not true! You shouldn’t say things like that about yourself!” I stared at him, horrified at his self-deprecating words. For a child to think that he was a demon who shouldn’t have been born…I could feel a sharp pain in my heart at the thought.

Eerily enough, Xiao didn’t seem to be bothered by this. In fact, he seemed confused as to why _I_ was getting so worked up about this!

“Well it _is_ the truth after all…” He simply shrugged. “Ever since I could remember, I’ve been called a demon or a monster by everyone I’ve ever met, even by my own mother. I got the evil from my father and mother hated the fact that she had to give birth to a monster child like me~!”

He laughed again and the blasé manner of how he was speaking unsettled me. My shock, though, was soon replaced with a rush of anger that was directed towards the people who dared to say such awful things to him.

“That’s horrible!” I cried out, practically seeing red. “Nobody, child or not, should be called a monster, especially by their own mother! They should all be ashamed of themselves!”

Xiao blinked owlishly at my anger, tilting his head a little. “Why are you so upset? People say hurtful things to each other all the time. I mean, it’s not as if they’re wrong or anything. I am a pretty awful person.”

“But Xiao, that’s-” I tried to implore, but he wasn't really listening. Instead, he seemed to be coming to some kind of conclusion.

“Hmm…so that’s how it is…” The boy mumbled to himself, looking up at me with understanding. “I think I understand how you managed to win over my classmates (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_!”

“H…H-Huh? What are you-?”

“You act like you’re genuinely concerned about us,” He began, eyes taking on a sharper glint than usual. “You come up to us and shower us with “praise” and “affection”. You tell us what we want to hear and act like you’re one of the few adults who don’t hate our guts. I must say, it’s quite the effective strategy~!”

“That’s…That’s not true!” I shouted, feeling like a broken record at this point. I could feel myself tremble with an influx of emotions. Shock, anger, sadness…a cocktail of indignation. “I love each of my students dearly and I genuinely care for them! I would never lie and manipulate their emotions like that!”

“Oh really? Well if that’s the case, then why do you do it?” Xiao asked in a rather mocking manner, clearly not believing me. “Why on Earth would you put up with menaces like us? We pull pranks on you, disrespect you, treat you like dirt, and yet you still stick around and continue to act like you give a rat’s ass about us! Is it because the academy is paying you a hefty sum? Or maybe you’re being threatened to put up with us?”

“No Xiao it’s…it’s none of those things…” I mumbled, looking down at him with hurt and honest eyes. “I don’t know what I can say or do to make you believe me, but I truly do care for each and every one of you…”

Xiao seemed to be caught off guard once again, but this time I could sense some annoyance being mixed in with his confusion. This look of distaste didn’t last long though, and soon enough he regained that sneaky smile of his.

“Okay then! Well, if you’re so hell bent on being our _"sweet and caring"_ teacher, then I have a proposition for you~!” Xiao suddenly declared, and I blinked at him in surprise.

“P…P-Proposition…?”

“Yep! I wanna make a deal with you!” He chirped, before motioning towards the dominoes that were scattered across the table. “I wanna play some more…games with you.”

“Games?”

“Y’see, my family and I have a great fondness for games. We play them every chance we get!” He picked up one of the dominoes and observed it with a keen eye. “Perhaps it’s because we’re competitive or maybe we just enjoy the challenge. Either way, I can confidently say that I am an expert when it comes to games…”

“I…I-I see…” I mumbled, a little lost as to where he was going with this. “So you want to play some games. But, what does that have to do with your proposition?”

“Hmph!” Xiao smiled and began to toss the domino back and forth in his hands. “Every day, for the rest of the week, you and I will play a series of games together. If I win more games than you, then you will have to quit and never come back to this Academy ever again.”

“W…W-What?!” I cried out, heart pounding in dismay. “That’s-!”

“Ah, ah, ah~! I’m not finished yet (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ ~!” Xiao tutted, looking amused at my anxiety. “That’s only if I win more games than you. However, if you win more games than me, then not only will you get to continue teaching here, I’ll also make sure that me and my followers will be obedient little angels in class and will stop causing you trouble! Sounds like a good compromise, yeah?”

“…” I bit my lip at his words, terribly conflicted. On one hand, I could lose my job. On the other, I would be able to achieve more order and stability in class…

“What…what if I refuse?” I wondered and Xiao gave me a faux sweet smile.

“Well, I could just find other ways to get you to quit. However, that’s not nearly as entertaining as it would be if we played games with each other! So honestly, I’d prefer that you’d just agree.”

 _‘So in the end, I have no choice then huh?’_ I inwardly grumbled, looking down at my tightly clasped hands. Just…what should I do? There was a high chance that I would lose my job, whether I agreed or not. However, I at least had a fighting chance if I decided to play along with his game.

The faces of my dear students flashed before my eyes. Oliver, Allen, James, François , Viktor, and so many others were finally warming up to me. U just couldn’t let them down and abandon them after I’ve gotten this far!

A swell of determination ran through my veins as I looked up to Xiao with challenging eyes. “Very well then, I except your deal!”

“ _Jīngcǎi_!” Xiao finally stopped tossing the domino back and forth and placed it on the table with a resounding “Snap!”. His grin went sharp as he stared me down with intense, crimson eyes. “I look forward to playing with you (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ ~!”

I gulped a little at this, heart aflutter with anxiety. To be honest, I felt like I had just made a deal with the devil. However, I knew that I had no choice but to go through with this. I would win this challenge, if not for myself, then for my students.

I tried to swallow back some of my nerves and gave a curt nod in return. “L…L-Likewise…”

Well then, let the games begin I guess!

* * *

**_September: Tuesday 19th, 20XX~_ **

* * *

I sighed as I walked down the familiar path to the black rose garden pond. School had just ended and I was on my way to play a game with Xiao. He had suggested that we do these games when class was over, just in case we ran out of time during the lunch period. I didn’t really mind and none of the students didn’t do any work for me to grade, so I was pretty much free.

 _‘I kind of wish I wasn’t though…’_ I inwardly grumbled, anxious about my impending task. _‘At least then I have an excuse to not go through with this…’_

Xiao had also been generous and counted yesterday’s Dominoes game as one of my wins.

“Consider it as a freebie!” He cheerfully declared, though that somehow didn’t make me feel better about the situation. Sure, I technically had a win now, but who’s to say that I’ll win any of the other games! The fact that Xiao gave me the win just showed that he was confident enough to win the others. Oh God, I’m _SO_ screwed! I wonder what type of games he had in mind. Hopefully they weren’t too advance (or dangerous)…

Much to my dread, I eventually made it to the pond. Xiao was busy throwing bread pieces to a bunch of ducks. The sight was surprisingly cute, and the ducks looked happy enough to get a treat as well.

I could feel a light smile settle on my face as I carefully walked over to stand next to him. “You seem to be enjoying yourself."

“Yep! Just feeding these _Yāzi_ some left over bread that I had from lunch!” Xiao looked up at me with a bright smile. “Hey, hey! Didja know that bread is actually bad for ducks? It has no nutritional value, but since it taste good the ducks don’t give a shit and will eat it regardless! If they eat too much of it though, they can develop a condition known as _"angel wing"_ which is an incurable wing deformity that usually renders birds flightless. Isn’t that funny~?”

I stared down at him with a mild look of horror. I didn’t know which was more disturbing; the fact that he knew such information and yet still feed the birds bread or the fact that he said it in such a happy manner.

Xiao giggled once more as he feed the last piece to another duck and clapping his hands free of crumbs. “Welp, that’s enough of that! Any longer and I’ll start to crave some Peking duck! Shishishi~!”

“E…E-Er, yeah…” I muttered before sending a frantic look at the ducks that were ignorant of their potential demise. _‘Swim! Swim for your lives!’_

“Now (L/n) Xiǎojiě, are ya ready to play~?” He asked sweetly, and I could only give a stilted nod.

“Well, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I don’t have much of a choice either way…”

“Aw, don’t be so down! You should count yourself lucky! Usually people who lose to me would be sent to work in one of our shops in Siberia~!” He chirped out in a disturbingly happy manner. “But the worst thing for you would not being able to teach a bunch of snot nose brats who want to hurt you! Many would count that as a blessing~!”

“Yeah, well I don’t.” I answered back determinedly. “I want to continue teaching here, so I’m going to win this game no matter what!”

“Hm~how intriguing…” Xiao mumbled to himself before hopping over to the side of the stone picnic table where he sat yesterday. “Well, whatever you say then! Let’s get started shall we~?”

I gave a hesitant and sat down as well, watching as he pulled out a [wooden board](https://cdn.notonthehighstreet.com/fs/c1/88/4b4f-e16d-4995-af5c-482907d89883/original_personalised-wooden-mancala-board.jpg) with shallow holes that were carved in them and a bag of blue marbles.

The game that Xiao decided to play was a game called [Mancala](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancala), which I vaguely remember playing when I was a kid.

The two of us worked together to place five beads into each of the pits, and after a quick coin flip, it was decided that I would go first.

Wanting to break the stagnant silence between us, we decided to strike up a conversation.

“Y’know Xiao, I’ve been meaning to ask…” I began, picking up a few of my marble pebbles and placing them in the preceding piles. “Do you have any other siblings other than Mikado? I seem to remember people mentioning that you have a sister.”

“Ah, it seems you have a keen memory (L/n) Xiǎojiě…” Xiao hummed out pleasantly, also taking a few of his pebbles and scattering them about. “Including Mika, I actually have eight siblings.”

“W…W-Wah~! Eight siblings?!” Now I wasn’t a stranger to large families, but that was a lot of kids!

“Yep~! Six brothers and two sisters.” He went on, looking a little amused at my reaction. “We also all have different mothers.”

“Different mothers?!” Now _that_ was shocking. So that meant that they were all just half siblings then?

“As you can guess, my father is quite the man-whore.” Xiao chuckled into his sleeve as I sweat dropped in response. “He needed heirs to run the family, and women practically fought to be the ones to deliver. They were willing to do anything in order to get a piece of his fortune, so they were only too happy to be the mother of his children…”

“That’s…” I trailed off, unsure of how I should react. I didn’t think that this was an appropriate topic to talk about with a child, but Xiao (and a lot of the 2p! kids) have proven to act much more mature for their age. I guessed with all the responsibilities that they had, they (sadly) didn’t have any other choice but to grow up as quick as they could. “I think that’s…very unfortunate Xiao…”

“Oh really?” He wondered conversationally, watching as I took away some of his pebbles. “How so? Unions without love are a common thing in the world, like arranged marriages and what not…”

“Well yeah, I know that…” I mumbled, absently fiddling with a pebble. “But…I think any relationship without mutual love, respect, and affection isn’t a healthy relationship at all…

“Shishishi~! It’s no surprise that you’re one of those hopeless romantics (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_.” Xiao teased as he reached over to take a sip of his tea. “You were probably one of those girls who believed her prince charming would fall for her at first sight and whisk her away to a wonderful life.”

“Of course not!” I grumbled, dismissively waving away the thought. “Who on Earth would want to spend the rest of their life with some rando that they met on the street? I believe that true romance gradually builds the longer you know a person and not from the spur of the moment decision!”

Xiao blinked at my words, but quickly recovered with a chuckle. “My, now that truly is a surprise! I would think you of all people would be interested in cheesy romance crap like that. ”

“Oh don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for a good romance story!” I clarified, a little sheepish. “It’s just that I knew since I was little that romances in stories were always…well, unrealistic. Besides, I was much too busy to wait for some guy to make my dreams come true. I needed someone who could help pay the bills and take care of my siblings, not some pretty boy who would wax poetry to me.”

“I see…” Xiao hummed, a knowing glint coming to his eyes. “Well, isn’t that quite ironic?”

“Ironic? Ironic how?”

“Well, it’s just that it seems that you already met your prince charming haven’t you?”

“What are you talking about?” I wondered, brow furrowed in confusion.

“Why, isn’t Vargas _Xiàozhǎng_ your prince charming?”

“ _H…H-Huh?!_ ” I yelped and I could feel my cheeks warm a little. “What on Earth are you-M…M-Mr Julius isn’t my-!”

“Well that’s funny~!” Xiao placed his chin in his hand. “From what my sources told me, Vargas _Xiàozhǎng_ has done a lot to make your dreams come true. He gave you money, renovated your house, took you on a date, and even gave you a job! While he may be just as much as a man whore as my father, he has never treated his past flings with such riches.”

“T…T-That’s just because I stopped some guy from stealing his grand-son’s present!” I tried to clarify, absently picking up pebbles and placing them in random spots on the board. “He just wanted to pay me back is all.”

“Really? He did all of that for you, just to pay you back for saving a gift that he easily could’ve bought again?” He hummed before shaking his head in disbelief. “(L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ , I think you’re in de-ni-al~!”

“I’m…I’m not in denial!” I huffed, my cheeks still feeling a little warm. Mr. Julius and I had only known each other for a little over a week! I’d actually be hesitant to consider us friends rather than just acquaintances. Besides, why would he be interested in a socially awkward teacher like me when he probably had talented and gorgeous models or entrepreneurs by his side?

So lost in my thoughts, I forgot to pay close attention to the game. Xiao would continue to drop little statements and innuendos about Mr. Julius that he knew would fluster me. By the time I noticed what he was up to, it was too late.

I miserably stared down at where all the pebbles were located on his side of the board. He had won the game hands down; completely one sided.

 _‘I can’t believe I allowed him to goad me like that!’_ I bemoaned, completely disappointed in myself. One mention of my boss and suddenly I’m a middle school girl with a crush!

“Shishishi~! That was a lotta fun (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_!” Xiao chuckled, looking amused at my utter failure. “Though I must say that you shouldn’t let your emotions get ahead of you!”

“I can’t help it. I’m an emotional person…” I groaned, getting a curious smile in return.

“If it’s that easy to fluster you, then your future of wining these games are close to none.” He lightly commented, looking at me inquisitively. “If you like Vargas _Xiàozhǎng_ so much, why don’t you just hook up with him? It’s not like he’ll say no, knowing his track record.”

“Jeez, I keep telling you it’s not like that! Mr. Julius is just a friend. Besides, even if I was romantically interested in him- _which I'm not!_ -, I would at least want to get to know him better.”

“Well what more do you need to know about him?” Xiao wondered, now appearing to be genuinely bemused. “He’s a wealthy and powerful man with high prestige and plenty of connections. Men and women alike are fighting for the chance to just be acquaintances of his, and yet you have the high chance to become his lover. Why not take advantage of this opportunity?”

I gaped at him, honestly taken aback by the honest confusion in his tone. “Well, it’s because I wouldn’t want to be in a relationship with someone for just those reasons.”

“Shishishi~! (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ , and you say you aren’t a hopeless romantic!” Xiao shook his head in disbelief, failing to see the logic behind my words. “You seriously aren’t going to sit here and spin some fantasy mentality about how true love comes from the heart and what not~?”

“Well, actually yes and no…” I frowned. “I’ll admit that when it comes to partners, I wouldn’t mind if they were good looking or whatever. Still, the one thing that I look for in a person and to make me stay in a relationship is their personality. They could look like Adonis or Aphrodite themselves, but if they’re also a toxic or awful person then I wouldn’t want anything to do with them.”

Xiao blinked in surprise at my words before a sly smile came back to his face. “My, what a pure and noble ideal on love. You truly are dead set on keeping up this stock Shoujo Heroine persona aren’t you?”

I could feel an aggravated flush come to my cheeks, but I quickly managed to reign back my irritation. Remember (F/n), you couldn’t let him get under your skin.

“Why is it so hard to believe that relationships can’t be formed without some incentive?” I asked him, getting a simple shrug in return.

“Well, mostly because I haven’t seen it with my own two eyes.” He answered, idly fiddling with one of the Mancala marbles. “Most, if not all of the marriages in my family are filled with infidelity, hatred, or financial gain. My own mother only married my father simply because she wanted some of his fortune to fund her lavish lifestyle.”

“T…Th-That’s…” I stuttered, feeling sad pangs in my heart as I listened to him. “I’m…I’m sorry, Xiao…”

“ _Shì ba?_ What are you apologizing for?”

“Well it’s just that…that I’m sorry you had to witness those things. Realistically speaking, relationships usually aren’t perfect, but it’s still unfair for you to have only witness the bad sides of it…”

“The bad sides of it?” He repeated, face oddly blank as he tilted his head to the side. “And what makes you think that it isn’t just the true side?”

“Well, because everything has a good and a bad side to it.” I shrugged, lifting up a finger to emphasize my point. “People think perfect happy endings are unrealistic, but what makes perfect tragic endings any different? Why are we so sure that bad things are more likely to happen to us than good things? To be honest, it sounds more like edgy twelve-year-old logic to me…”

A stagnant silence followed after my words and I nervously shuffled in place when all I got in response was Xiao’s blank stare. Uh oh, I think I hit a nerve!

“U…U-Um, well It’s not like I was calling _you_ an edgy twelve-year-old or anything, seeing as you're thirteen and _not_ edgy!” I quickly tried to clarify, afraid that I inadvertently insulted him. “I’m mean everyone has different experiences and what not, but what I wanted to get across was that loving someone for who they are instead of what they have _is_ possible and-“

“Shi…Shishishi~!”

I stopped babbling at the familiar laughter as watched as Xiao held up one of his long-sleeved covered hands over his mouth, as if trying to stifle his giggles, only for it to be in vain.

“(L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ , you look like a constipated fish!”

“What?! N…N-No I don’t!” I yelped out, slapping my hands onto my face in order to hide my expression. There’s no way I looked like a constipated fish! At least, I hoped I didn’t…

“You’re a funny _Nǚrén_ , (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_!” He chirped out before hopping off of the bench and walking away.

“H…H-Hey! Where are you going?” I asked, watching him saunter off. “I know the game is over and all, but-!”

“I’ve had my fill of amusement for today, so I’m going home!” He called backed, sending me a backwards wave. “You still have two more days to win the challenge! Remember, defeat isn’t bitter if you don’t swallow it, so give it your all tomorrow!”

Slightly put out by his abrupt departure, I sighed and slumped down onto the table. I looked over at the Mancala pebbles and picked one up, holding it up to the sun in order to see it glitter.

“Two more chances huh?” I tiredly mumbled. “You make it seem like I have all the time in the world…”

* * *

**_September: Wednesday 20th, 20XX~_ **

* * *

“We’re gonna play a shadow game!”

“…We…We’re gonna what-?”

Xiao was brandishing deck of poker cards at me with a determined flair. We were both back at the pond and he wasted no time in getting down to business.

“I said we’re gonna play a shadow game silly!” He clarified, placing the cards on the table as he cut the deck. “Changing the stakes in the game keeps it interesting! So, we’re going to play five card draw poker and if you lose, not only will you have to quit, but your soul will also be sent to the _shadow realm!_ ”

“Oh really?” I questioned, watching him shuffle the cards in an incredibly impressive manner. “I’m honestly more impressed that you even know _how_ to play poker, let alone a _‘shadow game’_ …”

“My father owns many casinos in Macau, so I’m quite well versed in games like poker and blackjack.”

“Figures…”

Xiao began to deal out the cards between the two of us. I would consider the majority of my students to be prodigies or genius’ for how smart and mature that they acted. It was almost disconcerting in a way. There were some days that I thought they were some kind of immortal beings that held centuries of information in them. Of course, this was speculation at best and delusional at worst.

I snapped out of my pensive thoughts when I had received five cards. Xiao grinned across from me as he pulled out a bag of rice crackers and split them between us.

“I couldn’t find any chips, so we’ll be betting with these instead!” He explained while hungrily looking at the crackers. I sweat dropped a little at the sight. Great, now he has even more reason to win this game…

“Now (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_! It’s time to du-du-du-du-du-du-du-duel!” Xiao announced in a grandiose manner and I chuckled a little at his antics and references.

“Whatever you say Xiao…” I muttered good naturedly after placing a rice cracker in the pot to start the bet with Xiao quickly following after me. “For now though, I think I’ll just check.”

He merely nodded as I picked the cards up and gave them a quick look, trying not to show too much emotion when I saw what I got.

 _‘An Ace, a four, a king, a five, and a three. Not bad, but not good either…’_ I thought to myself, already coming up with strategies in my head to turn the game into my favor. _‘I could probably go for a full house or a straight…’_

The game between Xiao and I continued on in a surprisingly friendly, yet competitive manner. I would bet or call and he would do so as well, yet neither of us had even entertained the thought of folding. The rice crackers in the pot continued to grow as well as my possible chances of winning as the two of us entered the final round.

 _‘Yes! A full house!’_ I inwardly cheered, looking at the possible winning hand with suppressed glee. If everything went well, I would win this round!

“Oh~?” Xiao suddenly wondered, looking up at me with a mischievous smirk. “Is that _hope_ that I see on your face?!”

“Uuuuuh, No~ of course not! I never have hope!” I denied while inwardly sweating buckets. I was praying that he didn’t have anything higher than my hand (though knowing my luck, he probably had royal flush that he was just waiting to throw down).

“Never underestimate the son of a chronic gambler!” He declared while animatedly waving his hands around. “Shishishi! The power of the Heart of the Cards is strong within m-!”

Xiao’s victorious declaration was cut off when his hand had accidentally knocked into his teacup. I watched in horror as the scalding tea had spilled from the cup and consequently ended up all over his arm!

“Xiao!” I dropped my cards and rushed over to his side. “Oh my God, are you okay?! No wait, that’s a stupid question! Of course you’re not okay!”

Xiao miraculously didn’t let out a peep when he got burned. In fact, he didn’t look to be in pain at all, if not mildly inconvenienced.

“ _Tā mā de!_ I spilled it!” He pouted, looking at his arm in a rather blank manner. “That’s tea was expensive too…”

I gazed at him in shock and concern. Why wasn’t he bursting into tears or at least grimacing in pain. “Uh, X…X-Xiao?”

“Hm? What is it (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_?” He asked, looking up at me curiously.

“What is it? What do you mean _what is it_?!” I repeated incredulously before gently taking Xiao’s arm in my hands. “You just burned yourself with extremely hot tea! We need to take you to the nurses office-!”

“Ah, that won’t be necessary (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ ,” He waved off my concerns as he pulled his arm from out of my grasp. “It’s not that bad of a burn! Besides, I’ve been through worse injuries.”

“But still, we can’t just leave it untreated!” I argued back, getting an annoyed frown in return.

“I said I’m fine (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ , so you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Like heck I’m gonna stop worrying about it! Why don’t you want me to treat it?”

“Because it’s not a big deal. It’s just a burn, so it’ll heal eventually!”

The two of us began to stare each other down, neither wanting to relent and give in. I never thought I would actually have to sit here and argue with someone to get their injuries treated!

“Quit being so stubborn! There’s no way your arm doesn’t hurt!”

“ _I'm_ being stubborn? That’s the pot calling the kettle black…” Xiao grumbled out, and I gave a tired sigh, looking at him with pleading eyes.

“Please Xiao, at least let me treat it myself. I have a first aid kit in my bag and everything! It won’t even take long to treat it, just a few minutes tops!”

Xiao stared at me with a miffed look before rolling his eyes and letting out a sigh. “Ugh, fine! Whatever gets you off my back…”

At his reluctant approval, I sent him a relieved smile before gently taking his arm again and walking him towards the pond with my first aid kit in tow. “Great! Let’s try cooling down the burn with some water first and then I’ll do the rest.”

Xiao was silent as the two of us kneeled down by the edge of the pond. I pulled out my handkerchief and dipped it into the cool water.

“You know, it’s rather uncommon to see someone carrying a first aid kit with them.” Xiao idly commented before sending me a teasing smile. “Perhaps you’re just more clumsy than most people, huh (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ ~?”

“Er, well yes and no…” I admitted with an embarrassed smile, carefully placing the soaked fabric on Xiao’s arm to cool it down. “People in the 2p! Wing, teachers and students alike, get injured a lot so I’ve just become accustomed to treating various injuries here and there. I used to carry around one at the daycare that I used to work at as well.”

“I see…” Xiao mumbled, still smiling though looking a little puzzled as he watched me rummage through my kit. “You really are a strange _Nǚrén_ …”

“Strange how?” I asked, letting out a little triumphant hum as I pulled out the bandages and ointment.

“It’s just what you’re doing now. Going out of your way to treat the one who’s trying to get you to quit your job.” The smile on his face was faint, as if he was truly bewildered by my actions. “Even when I told you I was fine, you still insisted on treating my burn. It’s just so very strange…”

“Well of course I did,” I countered back while taking my handkerchief off of his arm. “What kind of person would I be if I just left you alone with such a nasty burn?”

Xiao hummed and watched as I carefully rubbed the burn ointment on his arm. “A normal person I think… well, in my house that is.”

I stopped and stared at his face with a mixture of confusion and dismay. “What do you mean by that?”

The corner of Xiao’s lips quirked up a bit before he moved to point at something that was on his arm. “Do you see this scar over here?”

I blinked before looking at where he was indicating. It took me a minute, but I eventually noticed a long scar that was going down the side of his arm. I hadn’t noticed before since I was preoccupied by his burn.

“H…H-How on Earth did you get this scar…?” I asked, furrowing my brow in concern. “It looks quite deep…”

“I got this during my swordsmanship training by my instructor.”

“You _WHAT_?!” I cried out, looking at him in aghast. “You got this from training? How hard did your instructor hit you to give you such a deep scar from a fake sword?”

“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ ~!” Xiao wagged a finger in a lightly chastising manner. “He was using a _real_ sword, not a fake one.”

…

 ** _“WHAAAAT?!”_** I gaped at him, horror and outrage mixing together to form a tight ball of concern. His instructor used an actual fucking _sword_ on him?!

“That’s right~!” Xiao sing-songed, looking entirely too cheerful for the topic of this discussion. “We were sparring, and I had gotten sloppy with my dodging. Any slower, and he probably would’ve cut my arm off! Shishishi~!”

I could feel something in my chest horribly tighten at his words. His carefree manner when discussing such a possibility was distressing to say the least. However, my reaction to that was nothing compared to the building anger that I felt towards the boy’s instructor.

“Unbelievable!” I seethed through gritted teeth. “Who the hell trains someone with an actually sword?! He could’ve killed you or you could’ve hurt yourself! I can’t believe your parents allowed you to continue to study under him!”

“Well, that’s just how it is in my family…” He shrugged in a blasé manner. “’ _If a jade is not cut and polished, it can’t be made into anything'._ That’s pretty much the creed of the _Sì Xiàng_. If I don’t succeed and persevere, then I’m worthless to the family and the organization. So, the only way I can learn that is through training and discipline.”

“But Xiao, this isn’t training _or_ discipline!” I countered, gesturing towards the awful scar. “This is _abuse_! You’re thirteen for God’s sake! You shouldn’t have to be attacked with a sword to learn how to become a good leader!”

“It’s life,” Xiao simply replied. “Well, I guess it’d be more accurate to say that it’s _“our”_ life.”

“Your life…?” I repeated in bewilderment and Xiao heaved a deep sigh in return.

“You and I, (L/n) Xiǎojiě, we live in two separate world.” He began, picking up a nearby stick and placing it between the two of us, as if to emphasize the divide. “You were fortunate to be taken in by a warm and loving family. When you went through hardships, you got through it with affection and support. When I went through hardship, I got through it with even worse ones in order to toughen myself up for future ones.”

I could feel my eyes burn as I considered his words. He was right when he said how lucky I was to have been surrounded by kind, loving people. My mother, siblings, and friends were the only ones that I had in life and I couldn’t bear the thought of what I’d do if I didn’t have them by my side…

Still, it was just so frustrating! The thought that so many people in the world were born in these hostile environments; abused and degraded by their own family- _their flesh and blood_!...the people who were supposed to love and care for you unconditionally…

Many of my foster siblings came from families like that, and they had come with warped and distorted ideas on what love actually was. I could see that Xiao, and a lot of my students for that manner, behaved in the same manner as they did. Erratic emotions, trouble with developing and maintaining relationships, "acting out" or engaging in risky behavior; it was all the same…

“I’ve been through many things (L/n) Xiǎojiě…” Xiao spoke, looking up at me with an empty smile as I felt tears form in my eyes. “I’ve been kidnapped, beaten, stabbed, burned, and so on. It’s the hazards and conditions that comes with the job of being the heir to an organized crime family. A lot of the 2p! kids have gone through similar experiences like me, some probably even worse.”

“B…B-But that’s horrible!” I shouted, a few tears managing to escape and fall down my cheeks. “Nobody should go through such awful things! You…You-You’re just kids for Christ’s sake! You’ve done nothing to…to deserve this…”

The preceding silence between us seemed to stretch on forever. Eventually, Xiao went to stand up and possibly leave, but I wordlessly stopped him by lifting up my hand.

I ignored his puzzled look as I gently pulled him towards me by the arm and picked up the bandages by my side. While my thoughts and emotions may have been a mess at the moment, I still knew that I had an important objective to accomplish.

I wrapped the bandages around his arm, making sure that it wasn’t too tight, before releasing him from my grasp.

Xiao silently gazed at his arm for a few moments before looking up at me with a wane smile.

“Fortune has a fickle heart and a short memory.” He muttered as he got to his feet. “Not everyone in this world is lucky enough to win the lottery called life. It’s all chance, like gambling in a casino. You can win it all, lose it all, or alternate in between.”

I stayed silent at this as Xiao looked down at me with that big grin of his.

“You truly are and amazing duelist (L/n) Xiǎojiě~!” He chuckled in a joking manner, though the mirth didn’t reach his crimson red eyes. “But you should know that you can’t change everything. Sometimes, you just have to fold.”

And with that, he walked off with a backwards wave. I watched him go in a somber daze, lacking the energy to even tell him goodbye.

I spent a lot of time sitting by the pond, watching the ducks or fish idle about, lost in their own simple lives. It was close to sunset when I snapped out of my pensive stupor. Ah, my head hurt from all that crying…

I sighed, knowing that I’ve wasted enough time just sitting around and mopping. I got up with a groan, hearing my knees pop and crack to relieve the stiffness in them.

I gingerly walked over to the stone bench where the playing cards and rice crackers laid forgotten. I looked over at Xiao’s cards and then picked them up out of curiosity. When I saw what his hand was, another wave a bitter amusement washed over me.

“A _royal flush_ …of course.” I sighed and gathered up the rest of the cards. I would return them to Xiao tomorrow for what could possibly the last day of my job.

It looks like I’ve lost again…

* * *

I stood in front of a familiar pair of mahogany doors, first raised in a hesitant motion to knock. I was unsure about disturbing the occupant of the room, but I was also eager to talk with him in order to vent. It was quite late into the night, but I was positive that her would still be here.

And so, mustering up what little confidence I had, I knocked on the door. After a few moments, a familiar and low voice answered me.

“Come in…” He simply said, and without wasting another moment I entered his office.

The room looked just as well kept and pleasing as it did the last time I was here, with the lingering smell of coffee and low harmony of jazz music immediately serving to relax me.

Mr. Beilschmidt was sitting at his desk, looking to be in the middle of doing paperwork. He looked surprised, probably not expecting it to be me entering his office at such late hours.

“Frau (L/n)…” He greeted with a nod, taking off his reading glasses in the process. “What on Earth are you still doing here so late? It’s almost eleven at night.”

“I could say the same to you Mr. Beilschmidt…” I replied in jest, though my words bore little humor. Perhaps he noticed this as he wordlessly gestured towards the chair that sat across from him and his desk. I settled into the cloud soft cushions with a sigh of tired relief. After sitting on a cold stone bench and the ground for hours on end, it was a pleasant luxury to be sitting in an actual chair.

“What can I do for you Frau (L/n)?” He asked, getting straight to the point. I had noticed quite quickly that Mr. Beilschmidt had a direct approach to nearly everything.

I looked up at him and had the dawning realization that I honestly had no idea what I wanted to talk to him about. Of course, my mind was running rampant with the troubled thoughts and concerns of Xiao, but how exactly could I broach the subject to him?

_‘Oh, it’s nothing Mr. Beilschmidt! It’s just that one of my students who’s the heir to one of the biggest organized crime rings in Asia has blackmailed me into playing games with him in order to not be fired had just told me his awful and sad back story and now I’m super depressed!’_

…Yeah, right. There was _no_ way that would fly. It would probably cause more problems than fix them…

“Frau (L/n)?” He repeated when he got no response from me. He looked confused and a little concerned at my listlessness. “Are you all right?

“I’m fine Mr. Beilschmidt, it’s just that…I hope you don’t mind me asking but…” I trailed off, unsure if I should continue to question him on such a potentially sensitive question.

He raised a curious brow at my hesitancy before nodding his head, indicating for me to continue.

“Well, it’s just that…” I muttered, fiddling with the hem of my shirt. “I was wondering if you had a…hard childhood…”

“…A hard childhood?” He repeated after a few moments of surprised silence. I quickly scrambled to clarify before he got too upset with me.

“Well it’s just that…a lot of my students seem to have…less than savory circumstances at home…So, I was wondering if you happened to also have a rough childhood. O…O-Of course, you don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable! I was just wondering…”

Mr. Beilschmidt gave me a pensive frown that certainly did a number on my nerves. He silently sat there for a few moments and just when I was going to tell him never mind and that he didn’t have to tell me, he spoke.

“I…would say that I had a hard childhood, yes.” He began in a measured tone, not sounding upset, but not happy either. “Not to say that it was a sad childhood, but it certainly wasn’t an easy one…”

“I…see…”

He leaned forward in his chair and laced his fingers together in deep thought. “My family and I grew up on a farm where we made a modest income. Every day I would wake up early tending to the crops and livestock and every night I would study until it was the early morning. I was determined to get into a good school you see, so I used what time I did have to study.”

“Wow, that’s amazing Mr. Beilschmidt…” I looked at him in awed respect. For him to be so dedicated to working on his farm and studies at such a young age was commendable!

I could’ve sworn I saw a slight pink flush on his cheeks, but when I looked closer, there wasn’t a single tint of color. Perhaps I just imagined it?

“Yes, well…” Mr. Beilschmidt coughed into his fist before continuing. “As I was saying, my family had always prioritized hard work over everything else. I, myself, am grateful for the lessons and ethics my parents had instilled in me, and I still uphold them until this day.”

“I agree! If it wasn’t for my mom, I don’t think I would be the person I am today either…” I nodded, the swell of love and gratefulness for my mother making my heart flutter. This happy feeling, however, didn’t last long as my thoughts returned back to its troubled state.

Perhaps seeing this, Mr. Beilschmidt gave me a meaningful look. “Frau (L/n). Is there another reason why you asked me about my childhood?”

I jumped a little at his inquiry, but soon slumped down with a sigh of resignation. It seemed both he and Mr. Julius were too observant for their own good.

“I…I-It’s just that…” I struggled to find the right words to accurately convey how I was feeling. In the end, I decided to just go for it and hope that I didn’t sound like a lunatic to my boss. “I recently had a conversation with one of my students that…disturbed me, to say the least. It got me thinking about the states of my other students’ homes and the negative impact they may have on them! I know the reason why the 2p! class acts so wild is because of their families and the environment that they’ve grown up in but…”

I bit my lip and tried to will the tears of frustration from my eyes. “But, I thought that maybe there was a way to…I don’t know, I guess help them? People keep saying that my class is the one making the most progress compared to the others, but that just doesn’t seem good enough to me anymore…”

“What do you mean by that?” Mr. Beilschmidt, who had been respectfully listening the whole time, questioned.

“I mean…yeah, okay the majority of my students are behaving more since I started working here,” I began with a slightly helpless look. “But so what? It’s not as if it’s a permanent change. I’m sure that as soon as they go home, they revert back into their aggressive and closed off states. And who’s to say that when they grow up and leave my class that they’ll stay that way anyway? They’re all destined to become the leaders of the underground where they’ll have to act angry and violent all the time! They’ll most likely forget that this class or I will exist in the coming years…”

I quickly wiped away a few stray tears with my sleeve, mildly embarrassed to have Mr. Beilschmidt witness my mini breakdown. However, a large part of me couldn’t bring myself to care. These thoughts had been festering in my mind for a while now. My co-workers depended on me to keep some semblance of order in the class, so it was getting to the point that I felt like I had to do everything on my own! I was getting so preoccupied with having a better class that I was forgetting my goal of getting closer to my students. Hell, the major reason why I even agreed to Xiao’s bet was so I could have him and his subordinates behave!

I was so determined on getting order and obedience that I forgot about why I accepted this job in the first place. It was scary the more I thought about how consumed I was getting with this new, and certainly unwanted goal.

Mr. Beilschmidt and I sat silently, both of us lost in thought. It wasn’t until a few minutes that he spoke once more.

“Frau (L/n),” he began in that professional tone of his. “Do you know the true scope of your talents?”

I shrugged, not really trusting myself to answer for fear of sounding choked up.

“You have probably heard numerous times that your class is the most stable out of all the 2p! wing, correct?” He asked, getting a silent nod (and grimace) in return.

“Well, if it wasn’t for your presence, the 2p! wing would be rampant with the pandemonium that you witnessed on the day of your interview.” He revealed, grimacing a little in guilt. “I’ll admit that when I asked you to teach the class, it was purely out of desperation. I was at my wits end on how to deal with the situation. I’m truly lucky to have hired a capable teacher such as yourself to handle the job.”

I could feel myself blush at his praise and began to fiddle with my finger. “Th…Th-Thank you Mr. Beilschmidt…but I can’t say I’m as capable as you think I am or as deserving of your praise.”

“You look down on yourself too much,” He countered with a deep frown. “I’m not one to throw around compliments all willy nilly, so when I do commend someone, I mean it with the upmost sincerity.”

I could feel a rush of happiness at this, though seeing as I was still upset with myself, the effect of it was comparable to a light tickle.

“However, I must admit that I may have put too many high expectations on you which possibly stressed you out more than it did motivate you…” He went on with a guilty frown. “I must apologize for that. It’s a habit that I picked up from my parents.”

“Y…Y-You don’t have to apologize Mr. Beilschmidt!” I was quick to dismiss, not wanting to give him the false idea that I blamed him for this. It was my own fault for getting too caught up in my ambitions...

“But I must,” He countered, words stern and brooking no room for change. “It was unfair for me to put all that pressure solely on you. I was relying on you to essentially “clean up our mess” and when I saw the progress that you were making, I had forgotten that you were just one person. It would be too taxing, perhaps even impossible, to expect you to fix everything by yourself…”

“But that’s just it!” I exclaimed, not even caring if it came out louder than I intended. “I feel like if I try a little harder, I _can_ fix everything! I want to wipe away all of their bad experiences at home and give them a fresh start! I…I-It’s a selfish wish of mine, I know, but I just wish there was a way for me to make it happen!”

“We all “want” a lot of things Frau (L/n),” Mr. Beilschmidt began as he fixed me with a determined look. “But you have to remember that our wishes are in tandem with reality. If you want to get things done, then you need to set yourself with realistic goals in order to achieve it.”

“Realistic goals?” I repeated with a light sniffle.

“Exactly, realistic goals. The 2p! kids will live with what they’ve experience for the rest of their lives and you can’t change that. However,” He raised up one finger to emphasize the importance of his next words. “There is a way for you to help them cope with it.”

I blinked at his words, looking up at him with interested and hopeful eyes. Was there really a way for me to actually help my students? “How would I do that, Mr. Beilschmidt?”

“You wish for them to have a “safe haven” of sorts, so just create it yourself.” He explained patiently. “Create a classroom where all their duties and unsavory experiences can’t reach them. Create an area where they can act like children instead of the adults their families expect them to be. A place where they can have fun and just…act like themselves…”

I gave him a wide-eyed look, a sense of enlightenment and euphoria gradually swelling in my heart. Of course…of course! It was so obvious that I couldn’t believe that it didn’t occur to me earlier!

I couldn’t be some heroine who would gallivant in and magic their issues and traumas away, but I could help them cope in a way that was both healthy and doable. To work from the inside and out; to make my classroom a space that was safe and comforting for my students and co-workers alike! Such a simple, yet impactful solution.

Soon enough, I could feel a giant grin blossom onto my face as all of my past insecurities and sadness began to wane away. I stood up from my seat with and eager hop and sent my boss a grateful look. “Thank you Mr. Beilschmidt! I knew it was a good idea to come to you!”

A faint smile came to his lips as he also stood up from his seat. “I’m glad to have offered you some assistance. You seem to be back in good spirits.”

“You bet I am!” I answered, having not have felt this energetic in quite some time.

“Well, in the meantime, let’s just get you home _ja_?” He offered, pulling on his coat which was hanging on a coat rack near his desk. “Since it’s so late, I’ll walk you to your car.”

“H…H-Huh? Oh, that’s okay Mr. Beilschmidt, you don’t have to walk me to my car! I’m sure you’re very busy right now and-“

“Nonsense,” He politely waved off, turning to give me a stiff, yet kind look. “It won’t take too long and I feel more at ease knowing you aren’t walking around by yourself at such late hours.”

I stared up at Mr. Beilschmidt, his concern for me only serving to cheer me up more. He may seem like a cold and distant man on the outside, but he really was kind and caring on the inside.

I was in such a good mood, that any of my usual inhibitions we long forgotten. So when I reached over and gave him a quick hug, I wasn’t dying of embarrassment. Instead, all I felt was gratitude.

“You’re a very nice person…Mr. Beilschmidt.” I muttered, giving him one last grin before walking out of the room.

...

_(F/n) didn’t notice the delayed shock on his face nor the ruby red flush on his cheeks when she released him, which was a shame really, as that would have a wonderful expression of his that she’d always remember…_

* * *

**_September: Thursday 21st, 20XX~_ **

* * *

Xiao seemed to have been very surprised to see how happy and energetic I was when we met up for the fourth time this week.

”My, my~! What’s gotten you in such a good mood (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_?” He wondered with his usual smile, though he couldn’t hide the underlying curiosity in his voice and eyes. “I would think you would have an energy of a condemned criminal on the way to the gallows! This could, potentially, be you last day working here after all.”

“Well, things aren’t set in stone yet!” I replied breezily, practically skipping towards him before sitting in my usual spot on the bench. “I have as much of a chance at winning as you do, so that just means that I’m even more determined to win than ever!”

Xiao looked taken aback and even a little suspicious at my optimism for a few moments before he settled back in his faux amiable expression. “Shishishi! Well then, it seems like I have to up my game up as well then~!”

I looked down at the table and noted the familiar tiles and set up with interest. “Is this…Mahjong? I didn’t even know you could play this with just two people!”

“Yep! Though it will be different from a standard four-person game, both mathematically and rules wise.” He explained, gesturing to the face down tiles. “I’ll be playing East while you’ll be playing West. No “chows” are allowed so before either of us can go “Mahjong”, we have to gather four doubles or be entitled to the limit or half-limit score!”

“Ok~ay, sounds easy enough I guess…” I shrugged with a simple smile. I only knew the basic rules of Mahjong like all of the other games before hand, which was a fortunate happenstance.

Xiao’s smile faltered a bit and his crimson eyes took on a more calculating look. He seemed a little…upset for some reason, but I didn’t know why. I didn’t think I said anything offensive…

“Well, let’s get started with the game then…shall we?” He offered, his voice lacking the energy it usually had and gaining a bit of an edge.

I sent him an unsure smile in return as the two of us began to play.

Needless to say, it was probably one of the most awkward games we had played yet. For some reason, Xiao had grown withdrawn and oddly silent to the point where it came off as intimidating. Any time I attempted to initiate a conversation, he would only answer with dull hums, or simple nods. His new behavior reminded me a lot of how his younger brother, Mikado, would act. It was quite the concerning sight.

“Hey…Xiao?” I finally asked after I discarded one of my tiles and picked up another from the wall, though my attention was more on Xiao than the game. “Is…something bothering you?”

“Hm~?” He simply replied, his smile empty but his eyes pensive. “Nothing’s wrong (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_. I’m just simply thinking…”

“Thinking?” I wondered, watching as he discarded his own tile. “Thinking about what?”

“About you,” He promptly replied, slamming down a tile with more force than I thought was needed. “You’re…different today…”

“?” I looked down at myself, trying to see if there was anything off with me. “Well, I did recently changed the soap that I usually use-“

“No, it’s not that.” He waved off dismissively. “You’re much more…lively, than when we met a few days ago.”

“Really?” Another smile blossomed on to my face at his words. “Well, I guess it was due to the little wakeup call I had yesterday!”

“… _’Wakeup call’_ you say…?” He repeated, absently fiddling with a tile in his hand. “And what, pray tell, kind of _‘wakeup call’_ did you have (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_?”

“Just one that reminded me why I’m doing all of this in the first place.” I clarified, earning a raised brow in return. “I had lost my way these past few weeks, and now I’ve gotten back on track. This little ‘ol challenge isn’t going to stop me from putting in 110% into teaching you guys!”

Xiao gave me a blank look before he suddenly burst out laughing. I flinched back at the sudden action and watched, befuddled, as Xiao nearly busted a gut in laughter.

“Um…are you okay?” I asked when he began to calm down, though snickers still managed to slip out here and there.

“ _S…S-Shì a_! I’m fine…” He told me breathlessly, using his long sleeve to wipe away some of his tears of mirth. “It’s just that…I just couldn’t keep a straight face anymore!”

“What do you mean?” Xiao snorted and settled me with an amused grin.

“Tell me this (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ , did you honestly think that I had the power or authority to get you fired?”

I blinked in surprise at his question. “Um…maybe?” I eventually answered, knowing good and well that I 100% believed that he was capable of doing so and possibly even more.

“Oh, (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ you’re so naïve~!” He chuckled. “In realty, the only person who could fire you from this job is Vargas _Xiàozhǎng_ and maybe Beilschmidt _Fù Xiàozhǎng_! That’s the only reason why I had to use the loophole of getting you to quit on your own.”

“A…A-Are you freakin’ serious?!” I cried out, completely shocked at the revelation. So was he saying that I was never in danger of getting fired at all? That this whole week of stress and panic was for _nothing_?! “Well if that’s the case, then how did you know I was going to play along with your game?!”

“Oh, I had heard all about your ‘honor’ and ‘integrity’ for keeping your promises from my sources.” He easily explained, as if discussing the weather. “I must admit, I thought it was all horse shit at first, but after talking with you on Monday I realized there might be some truth to the matter. If I had made the deal with you and you accepted, I knew you wouldn't go back on your deal even if you did lose.”

 _‘What the **FUCK**?!’ _I inwardly cried, wanting to hit myself over the head at my own stupidity. I couldn’t _believe_ I was tricked by a freaking _thirteen-year-old_! Disappointed couldn’t even begin to describe what I felt for myself at that moment. I made a dodo bird seem like a hawk!

I face palmed with both of my hands and slowly dragged them down my face. _“AaaaaaaaahhhhomygodI’msuchanidiot…_ ” I grumbled, looking up to the sky bitterly.

“Shishishi~! Don’t be too hard on yourself (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_! I’ve managed to trick people with crappier lies than this one, so you’re not the only stupid person to fall for it~!” He stated in what he surely though was a reassuring tone. I appreciated the effort(?) to make me feel better, though I felt it wasn’t necessary.

“Well, that’ll teach me not to jump to conclusions again.” I grumbled to myself before noticing that Xiao was giving me another one of those calculating looks.

“What wrong now? Don’t tell me you have other bomb shell truths for me, because I don’t think I can take anymore!”

“Are you not mad?” He asked, tilting his head thoughtfully. “I may have lied about being able to get you fired, but if I hadn’t told you this and you lost this game, you seriously would’ve quit your job.”

“Well, I can’t say that I’m 100% happy with what you did…” I quipped back with a sigh. “But honestly, I’m more mad at myself than anything. It was my choice to make that deal with you anyway, so I can’t be solely mad at you for that.”

“Hmph! I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, but you’re a weird _Nǚrén_ (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ …” He lightly commented, placing his chin in his upright hands. “Perhaps you were dropped on your head as a baby? It would certainly explain how weirdly altruistic you are.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far…” I muttered, sweat-dropping at the back-handed compliment. “Besides, I’m acting no different than how a normal, mature adult would.”

“No, a normal human being, let alone an adult, would be pissed under these circumstances.” He quickly countered. “Yet, you’re so nice that it pisses _me_ off. And when you do get angry, it’s for the weirdest things! Like when I told you about where I got my scar from.”

“You getting cut by a real sword is not _“weird”_ , it’s horrible!” I exclaimed, now mostly playing Mahjong on autopilot. It seemed like neither of us were paying much attention to the game, more focused on the conversation at hand. “A grown man used a deadly weapon like that on a child! There’s no way I _wouldn't_ get upset by that.”

“And that’s where the weird part comes in!” He shot back with an honest look of curiosity. “The fact that you care for no reason! Not even my parents were as angry as you were, yet I still can’t understand why you care. I’m not your child and we barely know each other, yet you got so upset on my behalf…”

The new knowledge that Xiao’s own parents hardly cared for his well-being only fanned the flames of rage in my heart (seriously, what the fuck was wrong with these people?!), but I managed to reign in my ire so I’d have a clear enough mind to answer his question. I could get angry later.

“Well, it’s just because I do…” I spoke softly, giving him a warm, yet sad look. “I don’t have a real explanation for it or anything, I just care a lot about you guys. Maybe it’s just how I was raised, or how a lot of you remind me of my younger siblings. Perhaps it’s just a selfish desire to make me feel good about myself and make me think like I’m some sort of hero. I just…don’t know…”

Xiao and I were silent for a long time after that. He looked to be in deep thought before a faint smile began to grow on his face. “Y’know, I kinda wish the adults in my family thought like you.”

I stayed silent at this, merely looking at him with a furrowed brow.

“My role in life was decided even before I was born…” He whispered, giving me a smile that look so small and so empty that it nearly broke my heart in two. “It’s like that for a lot of us 2p! kids. Rather than see us as their children, we are viewed as tools that will ensure the future of the family businesses. To have a warm, caring family is very rare for us. They exist of course, but in my family there’s no such thing. It’s perfection or dishonor, nothing in between.”

“Yes…no matter how awful it is, that’s the reality for you guys…” I muttered, looking at his crimson eyes with my own determined (e/c) ones. “However, I want you to know that you all aren’t monsters or demons or tools! I want you to know that you’re more than the future criminals and delinquents that people constantly believe you to be. You are all bright, gifted, and wonderful children who are destined for great things! So, while you all are still my students, I’ll make sure that you’ll get to live the childhood that you deserve…”

“What…do you mean…?” Xiao wondered, voice uncharacteristically soft and meek. I can see how taken a back he was from my admission. I could also sense and underlying pleasantness there as well, though I wasn’t sure which emotion he was feeling, be it happiness, gratitude, ect.

“It is my duty as your teacher to create a classroom where you all can feel safe and comfortable in.” I reaffirmed. “It’s going to be hard to achieve and may take a while, but I won’t stop trying to make it happen. In my classroom, you don’t have to be the demon child, the oracle, or the heir to the _Sì Xiàng_ black society. All you have to be is Wang Xiao…”

And with those words, I flipped over my row of tiles to show that I had a full set and a matching pair. “Mahjong…”

Xiao looked as if he couldn’t have cared less that he lost the game. Instead, he gazed up at me with wide earnest eyes that appeared to be mysteriously misty. He then quickly bowed his head, but that didn’t hide the smile that he had on his face.

“Y…Y-Yeah…” He mumbled, “I guess it’s my loss…”

And so, the game came to a close…

* * *

**_September: Monday 25th, 20XX~_ **

* * *

Four days had passed before I saw Xiao again. He had not come to class on Friday, much to my confusion and slight worry. I hoped my conversation with him didn't scare him off, but my worries were put at ease when he had strolled into class, bright and early.

I wasn’t, however, expecting his sudden proposition.

“Rock paper scissors?” I repeated, confused about the difficulty drop in the games. Hell, could rock, paper, scissors even be considered as a fair game? It was all based on luck!

“ _Nà jiù duìle!_ ” Xiao chirped out, looking up at me with an eager smile. “We’ll go five out of five and whoever wins three games is the winner of the whole challenge! This is gonna be your final chance at survival, so be prepared!”

"Huh?! But I thought you said you couldn't fire me?!" I cried out, getting a shake of his head in return.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_! You should know that you can get out of our deal that easily." He scolded, crossing his arms with a haughty smirk. "Now, if you want to continue with the noble goal of teaching here, then I suggest that you win this tie breaker!"

I felt my heart pick up at his words. Though I hated to admit it, he had a point. We did have a deal and I wasn’t just going to back out of it now! This was going to be my last and possibly only chance to win the bet once and for all. If I lost, I would have to leave Hetalia Academy. But if I won, I’d get to stay!

 _‘It’s alright (F/n), you can do this!’_ I inwardly cheered myself on, already feeling the determination rushing through my veins. “Okay then Xiao, let’s do it! They didn’t call me the "RPS Champion" in third grade for nothing!” Well, nobody actually ever called me that, but it served to boost my confidence!

“Shishishi, you seem quite eager to lose (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_ ~!” He let out a cheeky grin. “Confidence is key when you’re playing a game, so let’s see if you have enough to actually win this!”

The two of us stood in front of each other and readied our hands. I tried to will my own to stop shaking as Xiao began the chant.

“Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!” The two of us threw out our hands, and we both managed to throw out rock. It was a tie.

“A tie huh~? Well, let’s just try again then!” Xiao hummed, not looking particularly bothered by this.

Once again, Xiao started the chant and we both threw out another hand on “Shoot!”. We both also managed to throw out paper, leading to another tie.

“We tied again…” I muttered and this time Xiao look a tad put out.

“Hey, stop copying me (L/n) Xiǎojiě!” He whined, wagging a disapproving finger up at me. “The game will never end if you keep it up!”

“I…I-I’m not copying you…” I muttered as the two of us went back to the game. And yet for some odd reason, no matter how many times we played Rock, Paper, Scissors, we kept getting a tie. Hell, I even threw out the “Hang Loose” hand symbol just for fun, and still managed to tie! It was a truly mystifying experience.

Finally, after what felt like the dozenth time of playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, Xiao threw his hands up in the air with an annoyed groan.

“Aw man, screw it! This is getting boring~!” He bemoaned as I looked at my hand in bewilderment. “This is like, the bajillionth time that we’ve done this! Hurry up and lose already (L/n) _Xiǎojiě_!”

“Believe me, at this point I would if I could…” I mumbled in bemusement. “There’s not really anything I can do…”

Xiao pouted, but looked up at the sky thoughtfully. Then, after a few moments, he began to laugh. “Shishishi~! Oh well, I guess we're done!”

…Wait, what?

“W…W-We’re done?” I repeated, unsure if I heard him correctly.

“Yuppers! We’re done!”

“Like…like with Rock, Paper, Scissors or..?”

“Nope! We’re done with the whole challenge!”

“The whole challenge?!” I stared down at him with wide eyes, trying to comprehend what he was saying. “J…J-Just like that?!”

“Yeah! Why do you sound so surprised? Don’t tell me you actually want to continue with the challenge~?”

“N…N-No! Well, I mean-yes? Er, well…maybe? It’s just that-!” I struggled to get my thoughts out and in order. “It’s just that it’s so sudden! If we’re done with the challenge, then who wins?”

“Hmm…I guess we both win!”

“Really?” I muttered while sweat dropping. “Well that’s kinda…anti-climactic…”

“Now don’t complain! We both won, so that means we both get what we want! You get to continue teaching us and I’ll tell my followers to chill out!”

“But…But I thought you wanted me to quit?”

“I change my mind! I don’t want that anymore!”

“Well, then what _do_ you want?” I asked and Xiao sent me a bright smile.

“I want you to play games with me whenever I ask and you can’t refuse, no matter the circumstances!” He declared, standing up on his tippy toes as he pointed at me. “You got that?! You gotta drop everything that you’re doing in order to play with me! No exceptions! Even when there’s a fire or when aliens attack and eat our brains!”

“Umm…are you sure that’s what you want?” I wondered, rubbing the back of your neck with a bemused smile (also, didn’t he mean ‘if” there was a fire or if aliens attack rather than ‘when’?). “I mean, I’m pretty sure you can beat me at games easily, so it would get boring after a while right?”

“N-o-p-e! I’ll be sure to pick games that the both of us will enjoy! So…” Xiao trailed off, looking down at his feet with a surprisingly sheepish smile. “So you shouldn’t have any reason to not wanna play with me, right?”

I blinked before giving a warm smile of my own. I bent down to be more at level with him a reached over to ruffle his hair. “Well, that seems pretty fair to me! Just make sure you pick a game a dummy like me can understand, yeah?”

Xiao looked ecstatic at the fact that I agreed, but he tried to play it cool regardless. He gave me a quick nod and began to skip away, probably in search of Viktor.

I watched him run off fondly, glad that even he seemed to be more at ease with me. It seems I managed to dodge a bullet, but I wondered why Xiao decided to change his mind about the whole challenge…

As I pondered this, Xiao suddenly stopped and turned to look at me with a secret smile. “Oh yeah, by the way~!”

I looked back at him, curious as to what else he had to say.

_“Didja know there’s a way to throw the same thing on purpose in Rock, Paper, Scissors?”_

“…Huh?”

Xiao said nothing else and only laughed as he merrily skipped away. “See you later (L/n) _Lăoshī_ ~!”

I watched my student leave with a puzzled look on my face. Wang Xiao certainly was an intriguing boy…

* * *

_**Hey, look who made it to the end! That was a monster of a chapter huh? Hopefully you guys enjoyed it~!** _

_**So, for the portrayal of 2p! China, I decided to go for a more mischievous and cunning personality. He jokes around a lot and is obsessed with games, especially ones that have you use strategy to defeat your opponents. I tried not to make him too emo, but then I remember that I made him be 13 in this story and if there’s ever an age where you should be emo and edgy, it then (no offense to my 13-year-old readers though~ <3)** _

_**(Funfact!: I loosely based the game parts of this chapter on Kokochi Ouma’s free time events from Danganronpa V3! I feel like he and Xiao have similar personality traits, especially when it comes to messing with people, lol).** _

_**Xiǎojiě: It means “Miss” in Chinese. This honorific was originally used to refer to young and unmarried women. Today in mainland China, however, it could be associated as a slang term for "prostitute" or in restaurants addressing waitresses, by means of verbal inflections of tone or other indications. In Xiao’s case it’s the latter, so he’s essentially calling you a prostitute throughout this chapter, lol ^-^;;** _

_**(2) Chayi: Mean’s “The Art of Making Tea” in Chinese. It deals with the concept of tea culture in China as well as other parts of Asia like Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. In traditional Chinese society, members of the younger generation show their respect to members of the older generation by offering a cup of tea. Now a days, though, people often pour tea for others to show that they care or to promote their relationship!** _

_**(3)“Sì Xiàng” is the name of the four major mythological creatures in the Chinese constellations. This includes the Azure Dragon of the East, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Turtle of the North. Symbolically, and as part of spiritual and religious belief, they have been culturally important across countries in the East Asian cultural sphere. The reason why I decided to go with the name “Sì Xiàng” will be explained in a later chapter~!** _

_**(4) “Black Societies” are one of the two major types of mainland Chinese criminal organizations. Black Societies are more-mature criminal organizations and the other type are called “Dark Forces” which are loosely-organized groups (they both sound pretty badass, don’t they?).** _

_**(5) So you’re probably wondering the hell Minikuiko-han is and for those that guessed correctly, then I’m really impressed! Yes, I even went as far as to make a 2p! for Shinatty-chan! If you don’t know who Shinatty-chan is, he’s literally just a middle-aged man in a Hello Kitty knockoff costume that follows China around. I can’t remember if he shows up in the anime at all, but I still wanted to add him in any way! There’s a lot of strange characters in Hetalia isn’t there? ^-^;;;** _

_**(BTW, Minikuiko-han’s name comes from the Japanese word for ugly or literally “hard to look at” (Minikui), the suffix “-ko” which means “child”, and “-han” which is the honorific that’s typically used for the Kansai dialect (or Kansai-ben) in Japan instead of “-san”! So all together, his name basically means “Mr. Hard to look at child” in English! Here’s some useless trivia for ya~!)** _

_**Translations in order:** _

_**(Mandarin) Néi hóu!: Hello!** _

_**(Mandarin) Zàijiàn!: Bye/Goodbye!** _

_**(Russian) idioty: Idiots** _

_**(Russian) Miz: Ms.** _

_**(Latvian) Kretins: Dumbasses** _

_**(Latvian) Priekšnieks: Boss** _

_**(Qubecois/French) Bâtard: Bastard** _

_**(Chinese) Shàoyé: Young Master** _

_**(Chinese) Xiàwǔ hǎo!: Good Afternoon!** _

_**(Chinese) Xiàozhǎng: Headmaster** _

_**(Chinese) Jīngcǎi!: Wonderful!** _

_**(Chinese) Yāzi: Ducks** _

_**(Chinese) Shì ba?: Huh?** _

_**(Chinese) Nǚrén: Woman** _

_**(Chinese) Tā mā de: Damn it (in this context)** _

_**(Chinese) Fù Xiàozhǎng: Vice-Headmaster** _

_**(Chinese) Shì a: Yeah** _

_**(Chinese) Nà jiù duìle!:** _

_**(Chinese) Lăoshī: Teacher** _

_**Thanks for Reading~!** _


	11. Viktor and Xiao (Lil' Moments~!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which (F/n) witnesses a live burial and mass drugging (and honestly shouldn't be as surprised as she is).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter, like with the F.A.C.E, will feature little funny moments with Viktor and Xiao, our favorite communist duo! I hope you enjoy it~!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**Viktor~**_ ❄🧣

* * *

When I saw Viktor determinedly shoveling dirt into a hole by a tree while Emils and Päll watched, a small part of my mind feebly suggested that I should just ignore it. Yes, the fact that there was a hole there in the first place was suspicious but I wasn’t sure I was up to getting involved into whatever madness could possibly be brewing. However, the more larger and resigned part of me just sighed and said that I might as well see what they were up to. It was rare to see the three of them around without Karolis after all and I was curious as to where he had gone.

I carefully made my way towards the three, catching the tail end of a conversation between Emils and Päll.

"Should we hel...gonna get killed...his own fault…get an ambulance ready..."

Sure enough, something alarming was about to take place.

"Should I be concerned as to why an ambulance should be needed?" I inquired, alerting the three to my presence.

"Oh, hi _Miz._ (L/n)!" They intoned politely, Emils with his bright grin, Päll with his anxious smile, and Viktor with an ever-stoic nod before he went back to shoveling.

"Hello." I replied just as politely, crossing my arms and raising a brow. "Now, do you mind filling me in on why you three are just standing here and filling up a hole. And where is Karolis? Is he sick today or something?

Emils and Päll blinked up at me once, shared a secret look with each other, looked at the preoccupied Viktor, and then looked back up at me while pointing down at the hole. "He’s in there..."

.

.

.

"What?" I blinked before quickly looking down into the hole.

Sure enough, there was Karolis Laurinaitis, laying down on the ground in a six-foot-deep hole and half covered in dirt.

“Oh? _Sveiki Ponia_ (L/n)~” He idly waved after noticing my horrified stare. He seemed surprisingly calm about the fact that he was currently being buried alive, which was the _exact_ opposite of how I was feeling at the moment.

“HOLY?!” I cried, looking over to see that Viktor was _still_ shoveling in the dirt and looking like he wasn’t going to stop until the hole was completely filled. “VIKTOR! WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?!”

He finally stopped shoveling and looked up at me with a painfully blank stare. “I’m taking out the trash.”

“What are you talking about?!” I asked, unable to believe how casually he was attempting murder right now! “Why are you trying to bury Karolis alive?!”

Viktor gave a violent twitch at my question before a depressing dark blue miasma began to surround him like a dense cloud. He said nothing to explain his actions, instead just walking over to a nearby tree and crouching down by it.

 _‘What the…?’_ I sweat dropped, watching as he began to irritably tear at some grass by his feet.

“Um…please, allow me to explain _Prl._ (L/n)…” Päll cautiously offered while fiddling with his hands. “You see, _Ülemus_ was just upset at Karolis because…well…”

“Ahahaha~! It’s because Anna has a crush on him~!“ Emils chimed in happily, taking me by complete surprise.

“What? Really?!” Anna had a crush on Karolis? Now that was surprising. She had just started to become more comfortable around Viktor so I didn’t expect her to start liking one of his friends as well! “W…W-Well, how do you guys know? I doubt she would’ve told you guys in person…”

A loud crunch had come from where Viktor was sulking, and the three of us looked over to see that he had managed to crack the bark of the tree with how tightly he was gripping it. Hell, he was going to destroy the whole playground at this rate!

“…She...gave him…a batch of [_Cepelinai_](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/7H4ccoOJBqc7OnZIGXxF2hnVJk4=/450x0/filters:no_upscale\(\):max_bytes\(150000\):strip_icc\(\)/cepelinai-258877532_a824eee0ba_o-5913e66d5f9b58647000e2bf.jpg)…” He murmured, an ominous _“kolkolkol”_ accompanying his words like a Gregorian chant. “She had asked Andrei to teach her how to make them…she worked so hard on those potato dumplings and she gave them to that _govniuk_ …”

“ _Cepelinai_ are one of Karolis favorite dishes…” Päll went on to explain, quickly adjusting his glasses. "We had stumbled upon her giving them to Karolis and when she saw us, she ran away while blushing..."

“Those were, like, some uber good _Cepelinai_ …” Said boy nodded, settling his hands behind his head with a bored look on his face. “Coulda used some more curd cheese though.”

Viktor moved so fast that I only had blinked for a moment and he was back at the hole, eyes practically on fire as he glared down at Karolis.

“And you dare to complain when she worked so hard on those dumplings?!” He hissed, though his eyes showed a near comical pain as he beat his fist on the ground. “It’s just not fair…she’s never made me a dish before, and yet you get to eat her home cooked meal filled with her love and affection!”

“Wah~! _Bosas_ , your killing intent is, like, super cool as always~!” Karolis sighed with a happy smile, eliciting an admiring nod from his Baltic friends.

“ _Zatknis! Yobanaya suka-!_ ” He growled, looking ready to throw the shovel at his head rather than just continue burying. Seeing this as sufficient warning to intervene, I quickly stepped in front of him and held up my hands in a placating manner.

“U…U-Um, now now…let’s just…calm down for a second.” I gave an anxious chuckle while sweat dropping. The poor boy just looked so depressed and angry that I couldn’t help but feel bad for him. “I’m sure this is all just a big misunderstanding! Perhaps Anastasia was just being nice and only wanted to give him a present!”

“Yes, _Maladoi Devushka_ Anastasia is indeed a kind soul~!” A sudden voice chimed from besides me, nearly causing me to jump into the hole alongside Karolis in fright.

 _“Holy Mother of Mickey D’s!”_ I yelped, turning around to find Mr. Andrei standing by me with an amused smile. “M…M-Mr. Andrei! How many times do I have to tell you to stop sneaking up behind me like that?!”

“Ah, my apologies _Dama_ (L/n)~! My memory isn’t what it used to be, so I must've forgot.” He chimed, giving me a low bow. I pouted down at him, positive that he did that just to freak me out. He was just so silent that even the wind sounded louder than him sometimes. 

“Andrei? What are you doing here? Am I needed for a meeting?” Viktor asked, sobering up some in the face of his assistant.

“No, you’re fortunately free for the day _Maladoi Gospodin_ Braginsky.” Mr. Andrei smile down at his charge before holding up a pristine silver platter. “Instead, I’ve come with a sweet treat that was made by the _Maladoi Devushka_!”

The five of us perked up at this and I looked closer to see what exactly was on the platter. It was a small cup filled with what I recognized to be _kissel_. The cup was a cute heart shape one and there was a neat dollop of quark on top. Next to the cup was a little pink post it note with something written in Belarusian, though the tiny hearts in the corner and certain crossed out words clued me in as to what it probably said.

“She said that she wanted to give this to _Maladoi_ Karolis, but she was much too shy to do it herself! So, I volunteered to deliver it for her.” Mr. Andrei explained as I nervously side eyed Viktor, who was trembling softly with his fist clenched. His head was bowed, bangs covering his eyes, and the once depressed blue miasma now became a menacing red.

 _'Oooohhh, shit...'_ I gulped nervously. _'This ain't good.'_

“Aw yis, is that cranberry _kissel_?” Karolis asked, popping his head out of his future grave, painfully oblivious to the fact that he was in _serious_ danger. “That looks, like, totally delish!”

As Andrei handed the cup of kissel to Karolis, I was already trying to calm Viktor down while Emils and Päll looked on eagerly (now was _not_ the time for their fanboying!).

“Now Viktor, let’s just try to be reasonable-!”

“I am reasonable, Miz. (L/n).” Viktor answered in a surprisingly stable tone, closing his eyes with a sigh. “I seem to have lost my head for a moment there, but I’ve regained myself. I apologize for showing such an unsightly side of myself. I’m not one for acting childish like this.”

I looked at him, pleasantly surprised while the other two boys looked disappointed. I was sure he was going to fly off the handle there for a second!

“O…O-Oh! Well, then you’re okay with…this?” I cautiously asked, and Viktor nodded, giving me a light smile.

“Yes, though it pains me to think that she may have… _emotions_ for that _degheneraat_ , I am whiling to support her in any way I can-“

“Ack! This Kissel is, like, _way_ too sweet.” Karolis frowned and Viktor seemed to snap then and there.

 _“ **TY NEBLAGODARNYY SVOLOCH!** ”_ He roared before throwing himself at Karolis, the two of them landing into the hole in a scuffle.

“Ahahaha~! Aw yeah, dog pile fight!” Emils cheered before grabbing on to his friends’ arms. “C’mon Päll, let’s wrastle!”

“H...H-Huh?! Wa-wa-wait a minute, I’m not properly trained in any sort of hand to hand combat-!”

“Shut up and fight!” Emils cut him off before dragging the poor boy along with him into the hole.

I watched in horror as the four boys fought each other in the hole like a pack of rabid wolves. Mr. Andrei, on the other hand, merely laughed, as if he was greatly enjoying the spectacle.

“Ah~ the vigor of youth! Why I remember when I used to participate in _Stenka **(1)** _pit fights when I was younger-“

“Now’s not the time for your weird reminiscing!” I snapped, wincing at a particularly solid punch Viktor had given Karolis. I wanted to go down into the hole and stop the boys myself, but since I valued my bones and _didn’t_ want them broken, I was hesitant. “We got to find some way to stop them!”

“Now _Dama_ (L/n), _Maladoi Gospodin_ Braginsky and his friends are simply rough housing! It’s nothing too serious.” He tried to placate, though it was hard to believe him with all the angry yelling and _“I’ll kill yous!”_ going on. “Just let them get their energy out and everything will be just fine~!”

I looked up at him before looking down at the hole with a sweat drop. Somehow, I had a hard time believing that…

In the end, the four boys came out with nothing worse than a few black eyes and bites. However, Viktor's broken heart would definitely take some time to heal.

* * *

 _ **Xiao~**_ 🐉🎲

* * *

“…Xiao…”

“Hm~? What’s wrong (L/n) _Lăoshī_ ~? You look like you’ve seen a ghost~!”

“Oh I’m seeing things all right, but it’s definitely not a ghost…”

Xiao blinked up at me, looking perfectly sweet and innocent, like a baby angel who wouldn’t even hurt a fly. “Whatever do you mean, (L/n) _Lăoshī_ ~?”

“Well~…” I trailed off, looking around my surroundings while sweat dropping. Something told me that today was going to be a chaotic one…well, it was always chaotic in the 2p! wing, but what I was witnessing right now was _advance_ chaos.

In my immediate vicinity, Allen and James were looking up at the sky, watching the clouds softly drift by. Nothing odd there, except for the fact that their eyes were more dilated and glazed than normal.

"Yo man… Ya ever think ‘bout how "Australia" got three "As" in ‘em, but they’re all pronounced differently.” Allen began in a strange mumble, his words slurred and drawn out, as if he were drunk or half asleep. “Or, how ya lips don't touch if ya say "touch", but they do when ya say "separate". Like, that shit's crazy man...for real..."

"Yeah man~! Life is crazy man~!" James _GIGGLED_ , slightly rolling back and forth with a goofy grin on his face. "Like, is water wet? Or are oranges named oranges 'cause oranges are orange or is orange called orange 'cause oranges are orange or wow this grass is suuuupppperrr fuckin' soft man~! _Si doux_ ~! _Si doux_ ~!"

"Right?!" Allen pipped up, running his hands through the grass intently. "I was _just_ thinkin' that! Like, what kind of fabric does God uses ‘cause I _need_ to make some draws outta this shit.”

Allen and James continued to ramble on about God knows what. Meanwhile, Oliver was slowly turning his swear jar upside down and right side up, intently watching how the contents fell and jingled with his every movement. He was singing softly under his breath while François laid face down beside him (I honestly would’ve thought he was dead if I hadn’t heard him snoring). “I’m tryin’ to make some bees and honey~! I wanna make some Merry-go-round~! I don’t wanna to be on the floor~! I wanna go to the rattle and clank~!”

Oh, and this strange phenomenon didn’t just afflict these four though. Not by a long shot.

For as far as the eye could see, dozens of children on the playground were acting…er, _strangely_. Some were giggling their little heads off, as if they had heard the funniest joke ever. Others seemed to be in a trance, staring off into space. Many were panicking about one thing or another. And plenty were hyper-fixated on random things like building massive sandcastles, drawing random squiggles and lines with chalk until it ran out, or even singing songs that were so nonsensical that it would put Dr. Seuss to shame.

"hOLY-SHIT! GUYS!" A male student cried out, wildly pointing to the sky. "THE SKY! IT'S PURPLE! GUYS! GUYS! HOLY SHIT WHY IS IT PURPLE?!? GUYS?!?!"

Two girls were singing (or more like slurring) a demented song while clapping their hands out of rhythm. "I hate you~! You hate me~! let's get together and kill Barney~! With a big fat shot gun and a 4x4~! NO MORE PURPLE DINOSAUR! YAS~!"

"I just don't understand!" Another young girl yelled as she looked down at a dictionary with tears in her eyes. "There's "There", "Their", and "They’re"? Why are there three of them??? How does that make sense?! And why are there two different meanings and saying for "Read" and "Lead"??? I am??? hUH???"

"ALRIGH' GUYS! I'M GONNA FIT THIS WHOLE ASS CANTALOUPE IN MAH MOUTH!" A boy, surrounded by a group of cheering students, declared confidently while holding the fruit in question. "NOW REMEMBER IF I DO THIS, Y'ALL OWE MY 50 CENTS EACH!"

"YoooooOOOO! DO YOU THINK CRABS THINK FISH CAN FLY???" Another male student suddenly asked the girl he was drawing with.

The girl let out a similar gasp of awe and turned towards her friend eagerly. "YEAH! YEAH! AND, LIKE! DO SCORPIANS THINK CRABS ARE MERMAIDS?!"

"YOOOOO-"

"YOOOOO-"

Even my fellow staff mates weren’t spared as I watched one of the female teachers firmly grasped another students’ shoulders with an intent gaze. “Now listen to me young lady, it is crucial that you listen to my words. I need you to do me a favor. You will do this for me. I need you to go to GameStop, and I need you to ask the bitch working the counter if they have “Rugrats: the Search for Reptar” on the PS2. If you come back empty handed you’ll be in big trouble missy. You will never see the light of day.”

The girl just stared up at her blankly before slowly lifting up her hand and bopping her on the nose.

 _'Dear God...'_ I thought with an eye twitch, watching as both the students and staff were running around trying to make sense of this entire situation. _'They're all stoned!'_

Imagine, being stuck in the middle of a bunch kids who were higher than a kite! What was wrong with everyone? Why were they all acting like this?? Who could’ve done this to them???

…Yes, who indeed?

Xiao snickered behind his sleeve covered hand, watching the ensuring chaos in great amusement. “My, everyone seems so lively today~! How fun!”

“Yes, fun indeed…” I deadpanned, looking down at him while crossing my arms, feeling surprisingly calm about the whole situation. I wondered if I should be concerned about me becoming desensitized to the eccentricities of the 2p! class, but honestly I was just content to accept that this was my life now. As a wise man once said, _'This might as well happen'_. “Would you mind telling me how all this “fun” began, though?”

“Now why would I know that (L/n) _Lăoshī_ ~?” Xiao tilted his head curiously. “I was just minding my own business, playing some _“Knife Monopoly”_ with some guys who owe me money! I couldn’t have done anything to my classmates’!

“Okay, first of all what on _Earth_ is Knife Monopoly? Monopoly itself is already torture, so you decided to add _knives_ to the mix?”

“What can I say? I live for the thrill~!”

I stared down at Xiao for a few moments, he looking up at me with a challenging smile. He was waiting for me to call him out on his bull, to try and outright prove that he was involved with this stunt. Conversations like this have happened between us a lot. He would do something crazy, I would react to it, he would laugh at my reaction, rinse and repeat. Today, though, I wasn’t going to fall for it. This time, I was going to get him to react to me! I had to be crafty in order to get a confession though, but I knew just how to do it!

“Now Xiao, you know I wouldn’t accuse you of anything without any evidence.” I began with an innocuous smile and he looked surprised at that, clearly believing that I caught him red handed.

“Really?” He asked dubiously, and I nodded, leaning down towards him. So far so good.

“Of course! That wouldn’t be fair to you at all. Almost every student here is likely to have done this prank, not just you.”

Xiao blinked for a few moments before letting out a private little smirk. “Shishishi~! Well, I’m flattered that you believe in me (L/n) _Lăoshī_ ~!”

“Yes, but I just wish I could find out who exactly did this and why.” I woefully sighed, placing an inquisitive hand to my chin. “It could honestly be anyone here, or at least someone who isn’t tripping balls right now.”

“Well, perhaps this person wanted to get revenge or something?” Xiao casually supplied, looking down at the loopy F.A.C.E with a sadistic smile. “With how much we all hate each other, perhaps one of us just wanted to serve some just deserts?”

“That sounds like the most likely motive…” I hummed, watching as Arthur was now rolling his jar back and forth like a kitten playing with yarn. “And for them to be able to prank all these kids and even some of the staff! They’d have to be very crafty.”

Xiao snickered, puffing up his chest as he nodded. “Yes, crafty indeed. Only a real cunning meanie would give your poor students candy that would make them act stupid like this~!”

“Yes, a real cunning meanie indeed…” I mumbled before sending Xiao another smile. “You know Xiao, it’s funny…”

“What is (L/n) _Lăoshī_ ~?” He asked, giving me a closed eyed smile.

“Well, it’s just that I don’t recall saying how it was some kind of _candy_ that made these guys act all silly.” I mused, tilting my head a little. “So why would you know that, that was what caused this?”

Xiao stilled and looked up at me in shock. I let out a triumphant little smile in return. Hook, line, and sinker~

“Hmph, I guess I must be more tired than usual.” Xiao sniffed with a light smile. “To think that I would fall for a simple trick like that. I knew it was too easy~!”

“Yeah, I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to pull it off…” I sighed, mussing up mu hair. “All I had to do was play towards your ego, and I eventually got a confession!”

“And you claimed that I’m cunning, (L/n) _Lăoshī_ …” Xiao laughed, not looking all that upset at the turn of events. He was still in trouble of course, but he just didn’t care. His blasé attitude for nearly everything always threw me for a loop, making it hard to discern what he was truly feeling or find reason in his actions.

“Why did you do it Xiao?” I asked, both curious and exasperated. This prank was quite out of character for him as well. He wasn’t the type to physically dirty his hands like this. He worked with information and mind games, not drugging a bunch of toddlers and adults into acting stupid.

“Simple, they just pissed me off!” Xiao simply answered, as if that was all the explanation he needed to give. “So I decided to get a little pay back while also requiring some valuable black mail material!”

“But Xiao, you can’t just…just drug people like this! It’s unethical as well as _highly_ illegal!” I argued, but I might as well had been talking to a brick wall. Of course it was a bad thing to do, but my scolding didn’t mean much when the one I was scolding couldn't give less of a shit!

“Bah, legality means nothing in this shit hole of an academy.” He waved off, giving me a small pout of annoyance and proving my point. “And besides, you should be thanking me! I gave those candies to the _bèn dàn_ who were still giving you a hard time. I’d thought you’d want to get revenge on them as well~”

“Of course not! What kind of adult would I be if I wanted to get revenge on a bunch of children like this?” I posed, looking deeply disturbed at the very thought. Yeah, I got upset at a lot of the pranks and treatment some of the 2p! kids still gave me, but I never thought of trying to get pay back! I did some admitably cruel things when I was a child as well, so it wasn't a surprise for them to act like this.

“Ah, there you go with that needlessly pacifist attitude of yours.” Xiao huffed before giving me a secret smile. “You know, your kind heart is going do you more bad than good (L/n) _Lăoshī_ , especially when you’re around us. Somebody may just take advantage of you one day~!”

“Well I guess that’s a risk I’m willing to take.” I answered back proudly, not at all worried about such a possibility. I was raised to keep an open mind and an open heart about many things, but I also wasn’t a moron. I could tell if I were being used or not, but sometimes I would play along because I just wanted to help out. As long as it wasn’t hurting anybody, I wouldn’t mind lending my assistance.

Xiao gave me a long, blank look, as if he were carefully deliberating on something, before he simply shrugged. “Well, whatever. You’re a grown woman who doesn’t need some little brat like me to tell you how to live your life.”

“I appreciate your concern Xiao, but this is not how you solve your problems.” I sighed before gesturing down to the F.A.C.E family. “Besides, you also gave candies to Oliver, Allen, James, and François and they don’t bother me at all!”

“Well those _ga tsan_ bother _me_!” He retorted, crossing his arms with a petulant pout. “They’re much too arrogant for a bunch of little brats… _just because they warmed up to you first, they think they can hog all the attention…_ ”

“Pardon?” I wondered, unable to catch the last part as it was mumbled in Cantonese.

“Shishishi~! It’s nothing! Just thinking out loud~” Xiao quickly changed the subject before reaching over and hanging on to my arm. “So since I’m in trouble, I’m assuming you’re going to give me detention, yeah? In that case, while I’m serving it why don’t I teach you how to play “Firecracker Scrabble”~? It’s a new game I thought up and-“

“W…W-Wait a minute! I still need to make sure the kids are all right-“

“Fuck ‘em! Those moronic 2p! teachers can handle it. You need to make sure to keep a close eye on me so I don’t do anything dangerous again~!”

I sweat-dropped as Xiao began to pull me towards the classroom. Detention was supposed to be a punishment, yet he somehow always turned it into a way to play games with me. Even though he tended to act like a spoiled brat, I couldn’t help but feel glad that his attitude towards me was much more amiable than it was before. I hoped that I’d be able to get closer to my other students as well…though, preferably not at the expense of the others health…

* * *

 _ **Rivals in arms?!**_ 💥⚔💥

* * *

Rivalries and grudges were always alive and well in the 2p! classroom. Whether they be formed through the tradition of mutual hatred between two families or groups or just through personal interactions, these kids either got along with each other like a house fire or wanted to rip each other’s head off. There was usually no in between…until now, that is.

It all began when six certain students decided to have a little chat with each other…a “chat” that involved all of them glaring at each other with enough heat to set something on fire, frowning or sneering with killing intent that was potent enough to terrify a WWII veteran.

“What the hell do you _durak_ want?” Viktor grumbled, the bags under his eyes making his glare appear even more menacing than usual. Or perhaps it was his genuine dislike for the majority of the opposing group before him than made him more irritable than usual? “You better not waste my time with something stupid or I’ll be sure to make you regret it…”

“That’s right! That’s right!” Xiao chirped from where he was hanging off of Viktor's arm, smile coming off sharp and hostile. “You morons have a lot of balls to interrupt me while I was in the middle of "C4 Solitaire"~! I could have them cut off for that y’know~!”

“Can it, ya creepy bastard!” Allen barked, he and his brothers not looking enthused to be in their presence either. “Trust me! I don’t wanna see your ugly mugs any longer than I hafta!”

“Oh? Then why did you call us here then?” Xiao tilted his head curiously while Viktor merely raised a skeptical brow.

“It’s about Ms. (L/n)!” Oliver blurted out, a deep pout on his face as he crossed his arms.

“Huh? Huh? What about (L/n) _Lăoshī_ ~?” Xiao tilted his head the other way, his faux amiable smile still mockingly in place. “Did something happen to her? Is someone bothering her?”

“Oh, someone’s bothering her alright…” James grumbled, giving the two boys a pointed look. “And it’s you two assholes.”

“Oh~? We’re bothering her?” Xiao laughed. “That’s funny. I remember her telling me how much of a pain in the ass you guys were! Constantly making trouble for her and what not.”

“That ain’t true! Ms. (L/n) would never say somethin’ like that!” Oliver cried out, looking upset at the very idea. His brothers didn’t seem to like the implication that much either, the air becoming even tenser than before.

“But it is! She comes to me and complains non-stop when we play games together.” He sighed, daintily placing his hand on his cheek. “It gets annoying at times, but I’m willing to lend an ear since I’m such a good person~!”

“Cut the crap!” Allen snapped, his crimson red eyes practically searing in distaste. “Ya honestly think we’d believe that Ms. (L/n) would wanna hang out with a snake bastard like _you_?!”

“How rude! I’d prefer the term “Fox”, rather than “Snake”~! Shishishi!”

“Give it a rest Xiao…” Viktor sighed, looking 110% done with the whole conversation. “These _duraks_ hardly listen to themselves, so do you honestly think they’d listen to you?”

“Eh~? What do you mean? Do you think I’m not trustworthy or something?” Xiao asked and at the blank look he received in return, he gave a simple shrug. “Meh, you’re right. It was worth a shot though~!”

“Look! I don’t give a crap about what ya guys are talkin’ about!” Allen snapped, clenching his fist up in a threatening manner “All I care about is you jack-asses leavin’ Ms. (L/n) alone and to stop botherin’ her! Don't get her involved with your creepy family or your suspicious crap!”

“Eh? What’s wrong? Are you four jealous or something~?” Xiao snickered, holding up a sleeve covered hand to his face. “My, my how pathetic~! It’s not my fault (L/n) _Lăoshī_ likes hanging out with me more~!”

“ _Miz._ (L/n) is her own woman. She’s allowed to hang out with whoever she wants, regardless of how we feel.” Viktor scoffed, sending the F.A.C.E and Xiao a stern glare. “However, Anastasia cares for _Miz._ (L/n) dearly and likes to spend time with her, so I will _not_ allow you to prevent tha-”

“Now Viktor, don’t be so high and mighty~!” Xiao cut him off, opening his eyes to send him a cold, yet amused look. “You may say that for dear Anna, but you also like being around (L/n) _Lăoshī_ right~?”

Viktor looked taken aback for a few moments before he scoffed, rolling his eyes. “...What nonsense are you talking about now? I am merely indebted to her. I am not as childish as to want to monopolize her time like these _durak_ here.”

“Naturally, as you’re much more mature and austere than us! You don’t fall for the same emotional temptations as us children!” Xiao snickered for a few more moments before abruptly stopping. He then sent the five young boys a challenging look, devoid of all of his usual mischievous amusement.

“I, however, am not like you guys.” He spoke in earnest. “I find (L/n) _Lăoshī_ to be interesting, unlike the rest of these shitty adults here. And because of that, I want to get to closer to her and to get her to play games with me, even though she has an awful poker face and she sucks at them. However, I can’t do that nearly as much as I want because she’s too busy having to clean up after you G _ong gau_ and keep you from doing stupid shit.”

The other five boys stared at Xiao, taken aback by his sudden seriousness. This was probably the most honest any of them had heard him be and though they wouldn’t admit it, this side of his personality was much more intimidating than his mischievous one.

All six of them went silent, unsure of how to respond. It wasn’t until a few moments later did Xiao break the silence with his signature snicker.

“Shishishi~! So that’s why, I won’t lose!” He suddenly declared, eliciting bewildered looks from the others.

“What the hell are you talking about snake bastard?” James muttered, tired purple eyes peering up from his sunglasses in suspicion.

“It’s simple!” Xiao cheered, placing his hands together happily. “All I have to do is become (L/n) _Lăoshī’s_ number one student!”

“Wha-?!” The boys looked at him in various degrees of surprise, unsure if they heard him correctly.

“What nonsense are you going on about now, Xiao?” Viktor demanded, a warning looking entering his eyes. If Xiao was saying what he thought he meant, then this was going to end up in a disaster.

“You heard me~!” Xiao snickered. “All I have to do is play the cute little teacher’s pet and gradually win her favor! Sure, it’s going to be annoying as all hell, but it’ll be worth it in the end~”

“Quit screwin’ around…” James growled out, he and Allen taking a few steps closer to the smug boy. “Don’t you dare try messing with Madame (L/n)’s emotions like that!”

“Though it pains me to say this, they’re right Xiao…” Viktor began, looking tense. “I will not tolerate you taking advantage of _Miz._ (L/n) to satisfy your own selfish needs.”

“What’s this? What’s this? Everyone just got so scary all of a sudden~!” Xiao teased, looking more amused at their combined intimidation than anything. “ _Brats like you really need to learn how to treat you elders with respect~!_ ’

All six boys glared at eachother, none of them wanting to back down. Many would say that it was selfish and unreasonable for them to want their teacher to solely pay attention to them, but they didn’t care. (F/n) had done so much for them, more than many adults in their life. Instead of frustration or anger, she was patient and calm. Instead of hitting and shouting, she was gentle and nice. Instead of cold disinterest or fear, she was genuinely happy to see them and be around them. She actually cared for them…and their existence.

And now that they finally had an adult figure in their life who they could feel secure with, they didn’t want to lose her, especially to someone they couldn’t stand, namely each other.

 _‘Like hell I’ll lose!’_ Unknowingly, they all thought along the same lines of this sentiment. It was like Xiao said. If they wanted to be closer to her, then they would have to fight each other to be her number one!

"Heh, well then I hope ya understand sign language like this dude here," Allen motioned towards James, cracking his knuckles before he raised his fist towards Xiao. "'cause all your gonna be seein' in a second is these hANDS-"

“You guys? What are you doing?” Ah, and speak of the devil.

Allen jerked to a stop and all six boys ended their glaring match to look over at (F/n). She had just come into the classroom, looking at her students in curiosity. Much to their surprise and dismay though, she wasn’t alone as Alberich was right beside her, a suspicious look on his face.

“ _Ms. (L/n)!_ ” The boys chorused in their respective manners as the two walked closer to them. She smiled as Oliver ran over and hugged her leg while Xiao latched on to her arm with a snicker. Looks like they were happy to see her!

“What’s that jerk hole doing here?” Allen wondered, glaring up at Alberich in distrust. It wasn’t a secret that the students in the 2p! Wing disliked the vice-headmaster. Their relationship was that of a warden and his rowdy prisoners.

“I suggest you watch your tone, boy…” Alberich replied sternly, tense and ready for anything to go out of control in case he needed to put a stop to it.

“Allen! There’s no need to be so rude!” (F/n) scolded as said boy just crossed his arms and looked away in a huff. She sighed and turned to give her boss an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry Mr. Beilschmidt. They’ve gotten better with interacting with adults, but they still tend to act aggressive from time to time…”

“There’s no need to apologize, Frau (L/n). I understand that these children aren’t…fond of me, so I expected this hostility.” He dismissed, and she looked a little put out. One of these days, she would have to find some way to improve the relationship between him and her students. Of course, that was an obstacle to face at another time.

“You still didn’t answer the stupid American’s question (L/n) _Lăoshī_ ~!” Xiao chimed in, looking to be in the best mood out of everyone here. “Why is the _Fù Xiàozhǎng_ here with you?”

“Oh! Well, I wanted to thank Mr. Beilschmidt for helping me out a few days ago, so I wanted to buy him some lunch at the cafeteria to repay the favor!” She explained before adopting a sheepish smile. “Though since he’s the vice-headmaster of the school he gets to eat at the cafeteria for free, so I couldn’t really repay him back in the end...”

“As I’ve said before _Frau_ (L/n), you don’t need to pay me back at all…” Alberich sighed, though his eyes were kind as he looked down at her. “If anything, I should be paying you back for how hard you’ve been working.”

“Nonsense! I’m just doing my job! Any teacher could do the same.” She dismissed, placing a thoughtful hand to her chin. “Still, since I couldn’t buy you lunch, then perhaps I could make you lunch instead…?”

She stopped at that and gave an embarrassed chuckle. “Aha, that’s no good either though... Anything I make wouldn't even compared to the gourmet food you’re always eating, huh?”

“Ah, no…” Alberich cleared his throat before fiddling with his satin blue tie. “Of course, I wouldn’t want you to waste your time on me, especially since I’m sure you’re busy with your duties…but, I wouldn’t mind…eating something that you made…”

“R...R-Really?!” Now that was a surprise. There was a high chance that he was just being nice and didn't really mean it, but (F/n) remembered how Alberich mentioned that he never said things that he didn't mean. That alone made his words even more special than before.

“Yes, but only if it’s convenient for you.” He grunted and she felt a surge of determination flow through her veins. The idea of trying to pay a billionaire back for a favor was daunting to say the least, but now that she had a way to do so, she could hardly wait to get started!

“Well…alright then! I’ll be sure to make you something that’ll blow your taste buds away!” She looked up at him with a bright smile, ideas for dishes already running through her head like mad. She wondered what she should make him? Should she try to make a German dish, or stick with dishes that she was used to making? Either way, she had to make sure it was extra delicious, no matter what!

Alberich’s face went slightly pink before he turned his head away with a simple nod, coughing into his fist and mumbling something low in German.

While this was going on, (F/n)’s six students were watching the exchange with a rapt eye. A strange sense of annoyance began to fill their chest as they watched how well she and Alberich were getting along with each other. It probably didn’t help that they didn’t like Alberich in the first place, which just served to piss them off even more.

As they began to fume to themselves, François walked up to her and leaned into her side, looking half asleep and unsteady on his feet.

“François? What’s wrong, getting sleepy already?” She asked and he nodded, giving an indistinguishable grumble as he closed his eyes and leaned in closer to her.

She smiled gently and carefully placed her hand on his shoulder to steady him. “It is close to nap time, isn’t it? Why don’t we all start heading towards the nap room then?”

“I don’t wanna take no stupid nap…” Allen grumbled as Oliver turned to him with a scolding look.

“Now Allen, don’t be stubborn. Nap time is good for yer health and improves yer con...concentration and creativity!” He explained proudly while Allen just clicked his tongue.

“Oliver’s right Allen," She agreed, tousling Oliver's hair and earning a pleased smile in return. "Especially for you younger kids. It's important for you to get as much rest as possible."

“Shishishi~! Yes, yes the babies need to be put to bed while the older kids get to stay up~!" Xiao snickered, clearly trying to rile up the more temperamental of the group. Naturally, Allen and James looked ready to cuss him out while Viktor rolled his eyes with a tired sigh.

"Quit antagonizing them you _durak_. I'm not in the mood to hear them complain any more than they already have."

As she was leaving, (F/n) stopped short as she remembered that she had almost left without saying goodbye to Alberich! She got so distracted by her students’ antics that she almost forgot! Appalled by and guilty of her lack of manners, she quickly turned to face her boss.

“Ah! I'm sorry Mr. Beilschmidt, but I’ll see you later!” She quickly waved to him, though she found it hard to when some of the more stronger boys were pulling her along without a care in the world. “I’ll try bringing you that lunch sometime this week, so please look forward to it!”

Alberich waved her off with a somewhat awkward nod, though he couldn’t help but feel confused (and maybe a little intimidated) by how intensely her students were glaring at him while she wasn’t looking. He was used to not being welcomed in the 2p! wing, but this seemed a bit more…hostile than usual.

On the flip side, the boys, though they didn’t really notice, felt a sense of unity amongst each other for the first time since they worked together to blow up Akutalia. It seems that while they were so busy feuding with each other, there was one more rival that they forgot to account for. Out of all of them here, the vice-headmaster might prove to be the biggest obstacle of them all!

 _‘Like hell we’ll let that happen!’_ That sentiment rang determined and true in their minds. The enemy of my enemy is my friend after all, and thought it pained them to admit it, they would probably have to work together more than they’d like.

Still, they’d suck it up and endure it…for her.

* * *

**_If I remember correctly, 1p! Lithuania canonically has a crush on 1p! Belarus, so I decided to do the opposite for their 2p! counterparts! I just thought it would funny to see how distraught Viktor would be when he learned that his dear little sister has a crush on his friend/headache, lol~!_ **

_**(1) Stenka (also known as Stenka na Stenku/Russian fist fighting) is the traditional bare knuckle boxing of Russia. According to Wikipeadia, Russian Boyars used Stenka as mass entertainment and most of the fights would take place during the holidays in crowded places.** _

_**We are now officially halfway through the Demonic Dozen of 2-13! (Y/n) is slowly, but surely getting through these crazy kids, but I'd say that trying to get close to the Axis will be the toughest challenge yet. The next few chapters will feature the return of certain characters, some more 2p! students, as well as even another 2p! Ancient character! I wonder if you guys can guess who'll they'll be~?** _

_**Translations in order  
(Russian) Miz. (L/n): Ms (L/n)  
(Lithuanian) Sveiki Ponia (L/n): Hey Ms. (L/n)  
(Estonian) Prl: Ms.  
(Estonian) Ülemus: Boss  
(Russian) Govniuk: Shithead  
(Lithuanian) Bosas: Boss  
(Russian) Zatknis! Yobanaya suka-!-: Shut up! Fucking bitch-!  
(Russian) Maladoi Devushka: Young Miss  
(Russian) Dama: Lady  
(Russian) Maladoi Gospodin: Young Master  
(Russian) Degheneraat: Degenerate  
(Russian) Ty neblagodarnyy ublyudok!: You ungrateful bastard!  
(Chinese) Lăoshī: Teacher  
(French) Si doux: So soft  
(Chinese) **_ _**Bèn dàn: Idiots  
(Cantonese) Ga tsan: Assholes  
(Russian) Durak: Idiots  
(Russian) Duraki: Fools  
(Cantonese) Gong gau: Dumbasses  
(Chinese) Fù Xiàozhǎng: Vice-Headmaster**_

_**Thanks for Reading~!** _


	12. A Silent Smile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (F/n) gets to flex her ASL skills~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of its' iterations! They belong to their rightful owner Hidekazu Himaruya! I am but a simple fan~

_**October: Monday 2nd, 20XX~** _

* * *

In a familiar looking refurbished room unlike the many at Hetalia Academy, six boys were sitting around each other on the couch. However, the five of them were watching the lone one who was currently in the midst of throwing a royal hissy fit.

“Un-fucking-believable…” A fuming Luciano Vargas growled out, taking his anger out on a poor teddy bear that he was mercilessly stabbing with a tiny knife. “Those. Idioti. Are. _PATHETIC_!”

“That woman is much more cunning than we initially thought…” Mikado narrowed his eyes in a mixture of disgust and begrudging respect. “For her to not only get Braginsky on her side, but Wang as well…it’s nothing short of a miracle…”

“Miracle my ass!” Luciano snapped, wrenching the knife out of the bear to wildly brandish it. “Those idiots just got soft is all! It’s because we’ve been in this god forsaken school for too long!”

“Now Luci, this school isn’t that bad!” Flavio, who was idly playing with a doll on the couch, piped up before wrinkling his nose. “Though, I do wish the uniforms weren’t so drab~…”

“Shut it you brain-dead _pomodoro_!” Luciano snapped out, glaring darkly at his brother. “Who gives a shit about some shitty uniforms from this shitty school?! We have bigger things to worry about!”

“Luci~! You’re so mean!” Flavio pouted before flashing a bright smile. “Don’t worry though! Your big brother will handle this! C’mon Adres! Let’s go~! _Favo~!_ ”

Andres stoically followed after the skipping Flavio while Luciano could only look on in confusion.

“What does that idiot think he’s doing…?” He muttered before shaking his head. “Bah, no matter! It’s clear that if I want to get rid of that damn teacher, I’m going to have to do it myself!”

“What exactly do you have planned?” Mikado’s asked, red eyes glinting in dark intrigue. While he didn’t detest the school to the same extent as his companion, he had grown intrigued with a certain teacher. Her presence, while a nuisance, had brought some semblance of order to his idiotic classmates. She had even managed to tame his vile brother, which was a first for sure. While her methods weren’t nearly as effective as his (which involved his sword and _plenty_ of threats), he still would give credit where credit is due.

He would like to officially test her resolve, to see if she could really survive what they had to offer, or if she would finally crumble…

“Contact the rest of those idiots under our authority!” Luciano’s smile was sharper than his knives and much more threatening. “I have a plan that will finally get rid of that woman _and_ get us out of this school once and for all!”

Mikado promptly nodded before walking off to fulfill his orders. Luciano’s chuckles reverberated off of the walls in the room, the only ones left to witness it being Lutz and Gilen.

Gilen traded an unsure glance at his indifferent brother who was munching on another one of his never-ending snacks. Lutz seemed as if he couldn’t care less about what happened to their teacher or the school, but he, on the other hand, was feeling deeply conflicted.

He had seen the gradual changes in James as well as the rest of his classmates. Yes, while they were their usual devil may care and renegade selves, they also weren’t as…tense all the time. His friend in particular seemed much more…happier and at ease. Whatever their teacher had been doing for the past few months, it has slowly but surely been working…

He thought back to earlier today, about what she had done for him and how she had even managed to extend her kind smile to the likes of him…

* * *

**_A few hours earlier~_ **

* * *

“What’s the name of that one thing?” I looked up from my cup of noodles to see my co-worker, Rosalita, looking at me with a perplexed expression on her face. I slurped up the rest of the noodles in my mouth and tilted my head at her.

“What thing?”

“You know…that thing?” She waved her hand, as if trying to wind the answer up herself. “I forgot what it was called in English…it’s that fuckin’…fish thing. The…the sea pancake!”

“Th…the sea pancake?” What the hell was she talking about? As I was looking at her in confusion, I could see James walk pass us with a deep scowl on his face. He went straight to a nearby storage closet and begin to mess around in it.

“Yeah! The fuckin’ sea pancake thing that killed that Australian guy!” James began to fling various things out of the closet, grumbling in frustration as if he were looking for something.

“You…mean a sting ray?” I dodged a stray baseball as I smiled in amusement. A sea pancake huh? Well that was a new one. “Well, there’s that and a manta ray.”

“ _That’s the bitch!_ ” She snapped her fingers, grinning in satisfaction. “Man, that was driving me crazy! I couldn’t think of the name for the life of me~!”

James finally walked out of the storage closet with a hockey stick in his hand. He swung it around a bit, as if to test the weight, before he grunted in satisfaction and walked out of the room.

“Hey, Jason!” Rosalita called over as he was walking past us with an energy drink in his hand (he should be careful with those things. If any of the kids got ahold of that, we’re _screwed_.). “I finally figured out what that fish thing is called! It’s a Manta ray!”

“ _Manta ray_ ~!” Jason’s eyes and smile lit up at the revelation. “You’re right! I can’t believe I forgot what it was called.”

“Hehe~! It’s thanks to (F/n) here~!” Rosalita slapped me on the back with a little more friendly force than I thought was necessary. “She’s always there to help you out when you need her!”

“A…A-Ahaha, it’s no big deal.” The lingering sting of my back did little to deter the flush I could feel on my cheeks. “I just happened to know it is all…”

“Nah, Rosa’s right (F/n), you’re definitely the most reliable teacher here.” Jason chuckled as he leaned towards me while sitting on the table. “I don’t know what’d we do without you.”

“We’d all probably be in a nut house or the ICU…” Rosa sniffed before placing her chin in her propped-up hand with a smile. “You’re the one shield keeping us from the terror of those brats.”

“Y’know, they’re not as bad as you guys think.” I sighed. No matter how much I try to tell them, they still held the firm belief that the 2p! kids were the anti-Christ themself! “They’re actually quite sweet when given the chance.”

“Yeah, sweet to you.” Rosalita snorted before lazily pointing between her and Jason. “They could give less of a rats ass about the rest of us though.”

“I don’t know Rosa, maybe (F/n) has a point?” Jason chuckled before proudly taking a sip of his Monster. “I mean, it’s been a minute since they’ve broken one of my bones, so perhaps they’re getting bett-“

**_CRASH!_ **

_‘Well that ain’t good.’_

I nearly jumped out of my seat when something smashed through the window. Now, this wasn’t an uncommon thing as windows here lasted as long as bubbles did on a good day. They would be broken by all kinds of things, a baseball, a rock, a toy, a bike, a TV; this list goes on. However, this was the first time that a _body_ had been chucked through the window…well at least, for the time I’ve been working here.

A blur of black and red shot through the air like an out of control rocket. It flew across the room in seconds and ended up burying itself into Jason’s gut with enough force to make him spit out his energy drink. With a bone rattling crash, he, the blur, our precious lunch, and the table itself collapsed to the ground in a pile of splinters, pained groans, and food.

“Holy shit!” Rosalita stood up from her chair in surprise, looking down at the carnage with eyes the size of dinner plates. I couldn’t blame her. The whole thing had happened so fast that I wasn’t even sure what the hell just happened! It took me a few more moments to comprehend what I was seeing, but when I finally did my jaw nearly hit the ground. The red blur…it was-?!

“R…R-Roland?!” It was my turn to stand from my chair in shock. It was, indeed, the red headed rocker boy that I had met on the very first day I had come to Hetalia Academy!

Roland Edelstein was laying on top of a passed-out Jason, groaning in pain with a swollen red cheek. His bright purple eyes soon fluttered open, at first filled with a dizzy confusion. It didn’t take long for that confusion to morph in indignant anger though.

“Gah! Son of a _bitch_ that hurts!” He snapped, holding a hand to his cheek while looking out towards the window that he crashed in from with burning eyes. “How dare that bastard damage my rockin’ face?! I’ll kill him!”

“Roland!” I tried again, stopping him from moving too fast in case he pushed himself too much. I’m sure he wasn’t completely unscathed from crashing through a damn window! “Are you okay?! What happened?!”

“Ach, it’s you! That teacher everyone can’t shut up about…” Roland glared up at me before batting my hand away from him. “Of course I’m not alright! That stupid moose just knocked me out in front of the whole school! That is soooo not rockin’!”

“Moose? What the heck are you talking about kid?” Rosalita looked morbidly curious, as if she thought there was an actual moose outside mowing down everything in its sight. Of course, that couldn’t be true…right?”

“Ugh…” Jason stirred from the ground, weakly twitching on his back like a upturned turtle. “Whahappen???”

“Silence you useless, lumpy cushion!” Roland added insult to injury (er, well I guess injury to injury) by not even bothering to step off of Jason’s stomach. “Be grateful that you saved the rockin’ me from anymore injury.

“W…W-Who is this sassy lost child?”

“Ah, don’t worry about it Jay…just…go back to sleep, yeah?” Rosalita awkwardly pat him on the head (ah, I hope he didn’t have a concussion! Gotta make sure to get him checked out at the infirmary later…).

“Roland! Get off of Jason right now!” I scolded, though I was still deeply concerned about him and any injuries he may have gotten. “Tell me what happened!”

“Well I was trying to teach that damn cyborg a lesson right? And then that moose came outta nowhere and knocked me upside the head with that stupid hockey stick of his! I mean seriously? A hockey stick??? Who the hell just carries around something like that?! And it’s such a useless and stupid sport too! Is soooo not as rockin’ as playing the guitar-“

“Okay, I need you take a breath for a second!” I quickly cut off his rambling while sweat dropping (he sure was a chatter box). “And who is this moose that you keep mentioning?”

“That _Moose_ ,” He snapped back out, looking frustrated that he had to keep repeating himself. “Is that bastard Canadian Willi-“

Another crash: this time the blur was bigger and blonder and bowled over Roland, causing the two to land on to Jason, _again_ , in a painful looking heap (I winced. Oof, the poor guy…).

“What in the- _J…J-James_?!” My student looked just as beat up as Roland, his sunglass askew enough to show off the already blooming black eye he had.

“Damn, just where the hell are all these kids coming from?” Rosa lightly mumbled to herself, looking out the window as if she were expecting to see another kid come crashing in (God forbid!).

“Damn that gorilla girl…practically knocked my head off…” He grouched as he looked at his broken hockey stick in irritation.

“Ach! Get the hell off of me you unrockin’ beast!” Roland screeched in outrage, though his words held little threat with how muffled it sounded due to being squished by James much larger figure.

“Shut it you red rat…”

“What the hell did you just call me?! I will beat you with a can of Vienna sausages!”

“I…I-I think I bruised…my spleen…” Jason twitched pathetically from beneath them as Rosa let out a low, sympathetic whistle.

“Damn Jay, you got _wrecked_.”

“God dammit, I don’t have time for this.” James grouched, standing up from the pile of bodies and stomping towards the exit with a murderous gleam in his eye.

“Wait! I’m not done demeaning you yet!” Roland was quick to hop up and trail after him, squawking like an angry bird.

As they bickered with each other, all I could do was stand there, feeling completely disoriented. What…the hell…just happened? These past several minutes have just been a whirlwind of confusion and destruction!

I could feel my eye twitch as I watched the boys walk away. They were injured by some unknown person, none of my questions were being answered, and my lunch was ruined! There was no way I was gonna let them just walk away like this!

“Oh, no you don’t” I closed the gap between us with three steps and grabbed the both of them by the back of the shirts. “You two aren’t going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on!”

James and Roland looked surprised and irritated at being lifted up, but I ignored their glares easily. Children were flying through windows at an alarming rate, and I wanted to know why!

“Ach! What is with you adults and grabbing my shit?! This shirt costs more than your car!”

I ignored Roland’s indignant muttering and turned to give James a stern stare. “Would you mind explaining the situation James?”

He was silent for a few moments before he let out a resigned sigh. “It’s…Gilen.” He finally grumbled, looking tense and ready to run off as soon as he could.

I blinked. Gilen? “What about him? Is he okay?!”

“No, that gorilla girl is harassing him.” He then sent a sour look over to Roland. “And so was this red rat. I was trying to get them to fuck off, but before I could deal with her she punched me.”

“First it was a moose, then a rat, and now a _gorilla_?” Rosa threw her hands up in the air in exasperation, not being able to follow the conversation at all. “What, is a whole freakin’ zoo running around out there?”

“Stop calling me a rat!” Roland snapped, baring his teeth. “It’s not my fault you got knocked out by a _girl_!”

Before James could hit Roland in the head with his broken hockey stick, I decided to intervene in order to put a stop to the growing list of injuries.

“Now who is this…gorilla girl that you mentioned James?” She had to have been someone pretty strong to be able to knock a guy like him through a freakin’ window!

He frowned up at me for a moment and looked like he was going to answer before a piercing sound swiftly cut him off.

**_“GIIIIIIILLLLLLLL~!”_ **

_‘My eardrums…they’re bleeding…’_

“G-Gah!” Rosa winced, looking out the window in disbelief. “What the hell was that?!”

“ _That_ …” James bit out through gritted teeth, hands uncovering his ears. “Was the gorilla girl.”

“Ach! She’s a big mouth as always…” Roland rolled his eyes as I gently placed them back down on to the floor.

“Okay, so you might as well tell me what else if going on before I become _completely_ deaf.” Whoever that was had a pair of lungs on her that could rival a banshees! I could’ve sworn my ears were still ringing.

“It would be easier to just show you Madame (L/n).” James sighed, looking up at me with tired yet determined eyes. He was deadest on going outside and dealing with this “gorilla girl”, whoever she was. It was a rare sight to see him like this. Still…

“Show me? But…” I turned to send an unsure look over at my co-workers. While I did want to go and take care of the situation, I just didn’t want to leave them alone. Besides, Jason was still hurt!

As if reading my mind, Rosa snorted before waving a dismissive hand at me.

“You might as well go ahead (F/n). Whatever is going on, I’m sure you’re the only one who can deal with it.” She then went over and picked Jason up with little effort. “I’ll be taking this guy to the infirmary, so you don’t need to worry about him. C’mon Jay.”

“Are you my guardian angel~?”

“Sure buddy, sure.”

I sent Rosa a grateful smile. It was silver linings like these that came with this job. My co-workers and I, bonding through the trials and tribulations of teaching the 2p! class, always had each other’s back. I knew that she would take good care of Jason!

I gave her a quick thanks and wished Jason well before turning back towards an impatient looking James and Roland. I inclined my head. “Well then, lead the way.”

Not wasting another moment, the two boys stalked out of the room like men on a mission. I followed them outside as they immediately began to walk towards a nearby bench. It didn’t take long for me to spot the two students that were sitting there. One was a girl who was happily hugging the boy next to her. The boy happened to be Gilen who did not look as enthused as her, if the pained grimace on his face had anything to say about it.

It took me a moment to realize that the girl who was currently squeezing the life out of my student was Julia Héderváry. While she wasn’t in my class, I had seen her fluttering about the campus and mostly causing a ruckus when she was around Gilen. It seems she had a crush the size of Venus on him, but~ that was just mere _“speculation”_.

She was a petit, cute looking girl with peach colored skin and a face that would make a baby bunny look like Quasimodo. She had waist length, strawberry blond that was put up in a high ponytail with a large pink bow and round, hot pink colored eyes. To top it off, her school uniform was decorated with cute accessories and rose gold jewelry. She was the prime example of a girly girl, like the ones you’ see in cartoons. I found it hard to believe that such a bubbly looking girl could be capable of punching James through a window (she must’ve had one hell of a right hook).

“Gil~! Gil~!” She chirped, looking up at him with hearts in her eyes. “Did you hear that I won little miss Hungary~?! This is the fifth time in the row you know~!”

Gilen made no sound, looking flustered at her exuberant presence. All he did was shrug, face aflame and pinched in a grimace.

“Mou, Gil~! You should praise me y’know~?” She pouted up at him before snuggling into his shoulder. “I haven’t seen you in soooo long and you have yet to say a word to me!”

“That’s probably because he can’t talk you moron.” James snipped out as soon as he got close enough and Julia turned to level a scowl at him.

“You again…” She grumbled before tightening her grip around Gilen’s arm. “What do you want now you brute?! Can’t you see that me and Gil and trying to have a date~?”

Gilen looked beyond relieved to see James, eyes practically blaring out “SOS” signals. I couldn’t help but feel bad for him. He just looked so uncomfortable and out of his element. I knew that he was used to being by himself, so having so much attention on him must’ve been torture.

“Oi! You damn cyborg! Who d’ya think you are?!” Roland snapped, rudely nudging by James in order to climb on top of the bench table to glare down at him. “Ya think you can ignore me ‘cause you don’t wanna talk?!”

“Shut the hell up you moron.” James growled, holding up the still broken hockey stick intimidatingly. “You’re too loud.”

“Hey! You two are ruining me and Gil’s date!” Julia snapped, her eyes resembling more of a wolf’s than a bunny’s (she was surprisingly terrifying!). “So why don’t you go away already?!”

“Alright, alright! Let’s just calm down for a second!” I declared, sweat dropping at the intense aura that these three were giving off. There was always certain groups in the 2p! wing that just did not get along with each other, no matter the circumstances. They clicked about as well as puzzle pieces from several different puzzle boxes. I guess they just happened to be one of them.

“Huh? Aren’t you Gil’s teacher? Um…what’s her face?” Julia tilted her head up at me curiously.

“Her name’s Madame (L/n)…” James grumbled under his breath, his purple eyes dark and intimidating. “And that’s beside the point. Let go of Gilen now before you kill him with your monstrous strength.”

Julia wasn’t deterred by his glare. In fact, she matched it with her own intense scowl as she released Gilen’s arm and stood up from her seat. “I do _not_ have monstrous strength! How dare you talk to a lady like that?!”

“Ha! What lady?” Roland snorted with a mean smirk on his face. “All I see is a hag with the strength of an ox-“

I winced as Julia turned and buried her fist into Roland’s gut with enough force to rival a canon. I know I shouldn’t say this, but he honestly had it coming. It was obvious that Julia was _not_ the one to mess with, let alone insult to her face.

“Boys are so rude!” She huffed with a pout while crossing her arms. “Gil would never treat me like this, right Gil~?”

We all turned to where Gilen was, only to be met with empty space and a dotted outline of where he once was. Woah, that was some sneak 100 skills! I didn’t even notice that he left!

“Eh?! Where did Gil go?!” Julia turned an accusing glare towards Roland. “Look what you did you idiot! You scared him off!”

“Hahaha! Serves that cyborg right!” He arrogantly laughed from where he was on his knees and grasping his stomach in pain (I was actually impressed that he still had enough energy to talk crap). “He must’ve been scared off by my _rockin’ soul_!”

While Julia was busy arguing with Roland, James sighed before walking up to me with a serious frown on his face. “Madame (L/n), I usually don’t ask for favors but…Could you go after Gilen for me?”

“Eh?!” I blinked at him, taken aback. He wanted _me_ to go after Gilen? Why? While I _had_ been teaching him for a few weeks, we hardly interacted with each other. I was one of the last people he probably wanted to see at the moment. “M…M-Me? I don’t know James, I feel that he would be much more comfortable with you than me…”

“That may be true, but…” James fiddled with his broken hockey stick a little, looking off to the side. “I’m sure if it’s you…you’ll get him to trust you…like you did to us…”

I stared down at him in surprise before my hear lit up with happiness. James was always the one to prefer to get things done himself so for him to say that…to trust me with such a thing meant a lot.

“O…O-Okay then!” I nodded, pumping my fist in determination. If James trusted me enough to look after his best friend like this, then I definitely wasn’t going to let him down. “I’ll go look for Gilen and check up on him. Er…do you have any idea where he might be though?”

“We usually hang out in the woods when things start getting too noisy.” He inclined his head towards the trees. “My best guess would be that he’s in there.”

“Got it! I’ll be back in a few minutes, so try not to kill each other when I’m gone.” I made sure to add towards the end when I saw how twitchy he was getting at Roland and Julia’s escalating arguing (not only was she strong, but she had a tongue sharp enough to de-scale a fish! I definitely didn’t want to be on her bad side…).

He flexed his hands around his broken hockey stick as he side-eyed the two with a scowl. “No promises…”

I sweat-dropped with a light chuckle. These kids were going to be the death of each other _and_ me.

I wasted no time in walking towards the wooded perimeter of the playground. The familiar scent of tree bark and grass hit me as soon as I passed the first tree. It was always so peaceful in here, like a nice little reprieve from the chaos that this school had to offer.

“Gilen~?” I called out through my cupped hands, easily navigating through the dense trees. I had gone into these woods so many times that it might as well be my second classroom. As I was searching though, my thoughts couldn’t help but go towards my missing student.

Gilen was…well, there wasn’t much that I could say about him. As stated before, I didn’t interact with him nearly as much as the other kids. There were many times where I, shameful as it is, forgot that he was even in my class! He was just so silent and minded his own business most of the time. Plus, with how rowdy my other students were, he just sort of…slipped my mind.

…Huh, now that I thought about it…something about that was a little…odd.

You see, all the other 2p! kids, even stoic ones like Viktor and François, had a type of aura and presence that made them stand out and command attention. Gilen, on the other hand, seemed to be the exact opposite. He was like a shadow of sorts, something that was there, but could easily be overlook by others, especially when something more colorful and distinct was around.

I could feel myself frown the more that I thought about it. It almost seemed like…he was trying not to stand out as much as possible. But why? Could he just be really shy or introverted? That was a good possibility, but something told me there was more to the situation than meets the eye.

 _‘Ah, look at me! Try to go deep in shallow waters like this…’_ I sighed, slapping my cheeks in order to focus. _‘Now’s not the time for me to come up with conspiracy theories of my students! I need to find Gilen!’_

“Hmm, I wonder where he could be though?” I muttered, looking around to see if I could spot any grey or blue in the vast sea of forest green. I had been walking around for a few minutes now, and there was still no sight of him.

Just as I was thinking that he may not even be in the woods at all, I felt something small hit my head. I looked down to see that it was a healthy-looking acorn. Uh oh, looks like a hungry little squirrel had dropped its lunch! I sympathize with you little guy. My lunch, too, was unfortunately taken away from me in the blink of an eye. Don’t worry though, we can starve together~!

I picked up the acorn curiously and looked up from where it fell. Imagine my surprise where instead of a squirrel, it was Gilen who was sitting quite a ways up in an oak tree!

“What in the- Gilen?!” I dropped the acorn in shock. How the hell did he get all the way up there?! “Hey, that’s dangerous! You shouldn’t be so high up in the tree like that!”

The only response that I got from him was an anxious frown after the surprise of me calling up to him faded. I took me a moment to notice, but I felt that the aura around him seemed very withdrawn and small, as if he was trying to become invisible or phase out of existence. I couldn’t help the pang of worry that went through my chest at the sight. He looked…quite sad and tired.

“Gilen?” I cautiously walked towards the tree. His frown twitched as he continued to look down at his swinging feet and decidedly not at me. He reached up and pulled down on the drawstrings of his hoodie, tightening it up so I couldn’t see his face clearly. It uncannily reminded me of when turtles would hide in their shells to protect themselves from danger.

“Um, Gilen? Do you think you can get down from there? It’s pretty high up and I don’t want you to fall and hurt yourself.”

Either ignoring me or unable to hear me, he continued to stare down at his feet.

“Please Gilen? I just want to talk with you for a bit and see if you’re okay!”

More silence…

I slumped with a sigh. He was surprisingly stubborn! How was I going to have a proper conversation with like this! I thought about it for a moment, before something came to mind. It was a stupid and dangerous idea sure, but it was the best I got.

“Okay then~…well, if you don’t want to get down then I’ll just go up!” This actually got a reaction from him this time. He flinched and peered down at me in disbelief. I sent him a wobbly smile in return before looking back towards the tree with resolve.

 _‘Okay, (F/n). You can do this!’_ I hyped myself up as I took hold of a branch above me and tested my foothold on the bark. I never climbed a tree before, but you know what they say; first time’s the charm! And I had the insurance to cover any injuries that I might get, so that was a plus~

It took me an embarrassingly long time, but I eventually managed to scale the tree to where Gilen was sitting. I may~ have almost slipped a few times and my arms were already sore as hell, but I managed it in the end!

 _‘Oh sweet mother nature, I finally made it…’_ The urge to laugh manically in triumph was thankfully smothered by the idea of creeping the daylights out of Gilen. Still, I couldn’t help the little victory dance in my head. Take _that_ Mr. Anderson, my P.E. teacher from 6th grade! I totally didn’t have the arms of a newborn kitten on Xanax.

I looked over to see Gilen was staring at me in confusion and awe. He probably thought I wouldn’t be able to get here in the first place. I was proving a lot of people wrong, including myself (it was pretty touch and go there for a few moments, I’m not gonna lie)!

“Welp, here I am! I hope you don’t mind~” I carefully rose and adjusted myself on the wider part of the branch. I wanted to make sure the weight was distributed evenly to avoid it snapping under us entirely.

Gilen seemed to shake himself out of his daze and looked back down at his feet, shrugging a little.. I gave him a wane smile before carefully looking around. We were pretty high up, so I could see a little above some of the other trees surrounding us. The sky was wisped with Autumn grey clouds and the air smelled of aged nature. Neither of us spoke for a few moments, the only sounds surrounding us were various bugs and the wind rustling the trees.

“Um, do you know American Sign Language or German Sign Language?” I eventually asked when the silence continued to stretch on with no sign of him taking the initiative to break it (well, it’s not like he could anyway, but still). He looked at me in surprise for a moment before signing back with practiced deft and precision.

‘Both. I use ASL to talk to others and James, but I use DGS at home…’

“Oh! Okay then!” I smiled, relieved that I could communicate with him in English. If all he knew was German, then I would’ve been _screwed_. “That’s very impressive Gilen! I get overwhelmed with just the limited sign language I know.”

He just shrugged. ‘I don’t think it’s that impressive. Plenty of kids here are bilingual…’

Well, he had a point there. It seems like for a lot of kids that attended Hetalia and Akutalia academy, English was most likely their second language. It was good that they were learning it at such an early age though, as they’d have an easier time doing so than if they were to do it as teenagers.

“Still, I think it’s a great skill to have!” I cheered as he gave me a side-eyed look

‘Well, it’s not like it’s a skill I wanted to learn in the first place…’ He absently touched his throat and grimaced, as if it hurt when he did so.

“Ah, er…I guess you’re right…” Ah, this probably wasn’t a good conversation starter. None of the staff knew why Gilen was mute. Many assumed he was just born like that, but perhaps there’s was more to it?

“W…W-Well anyway, I’m just surprised you decided to talk with me at all! I was under the impression that most of the 2p! disliked the other teachers and I…” I nervously chuckled. Other than Oliver and François, this was the most non-threatening encounter that I’ve had with my students! I would usually either be greeted with disdain or indifference, though now a days that usually came from kids who had ties to Luciano, Mikado, and Lutz…

‘Unlike the others, I don’t have any problems with the teachers here.” Gilen shrugged, before looking off to the side a little. ‘I actually kind of feel bad for them, having to deal with us an all.’

“Well, nobody said teaching was an easy job!” I tried to wave it off and the dry look that he gave me in return clearly showed that he didn’t believe me at all.

‘Anyway, James said that you were cool so I trust you.’ Gilen’s eyes took on a rather teasing shine to them, which was an expression I definitely wasn’t expecting to see on him. “He also looks up to you a lot, though don’t tell him I said that…’

“Eh? Really?” I blinked before a goofy smile slipped on to my face. “Wow! No one’s ever called me cool before~! I wonder if this is how the Chad’s feel~?”

Gilen’s lip twitched a little before he signed in a manner that somehow came off as both kind and biting at the same time. ‘Though, he also said that you were weird too, so there’s that.’

“Oh, I see…” I twitched at his words before sadly messing with a nearby leaf. I knew it was too good to be true! Of course a neurotic weirdo like me couldn’t be cool! I have failed you 7-Up’s Cool Spot~

Seeing a lull in the conversation, I decided to ignore the shot to my ego and continue on. I’ll sulk about my loser status later. Right now, I needed to focus!

“So~ Julia and Roland huh? Those two sure do have a lot of energy.” I sweat-dropped a little when I saw him slump down tiredly. I feel you kiddo. It was the same type of social exhaustion that I would have after listening to Chase and Margot complain about their jobs.

‘Too much energy if you ask me.’

“W…W-Well, I can’t say that I disagree with you there…” I chuckled a little. “Still, I guess that shows how excited there were to see you!”

‘I don’t know why they would be.’ He frowned, though it looked more like a pout than anything. ‘It’s not like I can entertain them or anything. Though I guess I can show them some shadow puppetry until they get bored and move on to something more interesting...’

I watched as he made a shadow of a dog on the tree with a sardonic grin. I felt something in my chest pinch a little at the sight. For him to think that people wouldn’t want to be around him for substantial reasons was quite disheartening…

“It must be hard interacting with others with your condition, huh?“ I questioned, feeling sympathetic towards his plight. “I can’t even imagine how it must be to not be able to talk to others whenever you want. To express your opinions and-“

Gilen stopped with a jerk before whipping his head around to glare at me. _‘You’re right, you can’t imagine so please don’t patronize me.’_

I flinched back at the look on his face that practically snapped those words out at me. My shock immediately melted into guilt, however, when I realized the affect my words had. I wasn’t trying to patronize him or anything! Though I guess it would seem like I was, especially coming from someone who isn’t mute. Saying things like “I understand” or “it must be hard” means nothing, because I don’t understand what it’s like to be him and he already knows how difficult his condition is. Having me practically spell it out for him definitely wasn’t helping either. God, I’m such an asshole! I really needed to learn to stop babbling like an idiot in situations like this.

“I…I-I’m not…er, I’m so sorry Gilen. I didn’t mean for my words to come out like that…” I tried to express as earnestly as possible. The last thing I wanted to do was make him feel bad about himself…

Gilen’s tense shoulders loosened a bit when he heard my apology. He looked back down at his shoes with a silent sigh.

‘It’s okay. Sorry for snapping at you like that…’ Gilen tightened his hood up a bit more. ‘It’s just…I get overwhelmed when interacting with others. It’s especially hard to communicate with overbearing people like Julia or Roland. That’s why I appreciate it when James manages to keep them away…’

“Is…Is that why you don’t like standing out a lot?” I cautiously asked. He darted his eyes up at me before looking down at his prosthetic arm with barely concealed loathing.

‘More or less. I just don’t like being stared at.’ He made sure to cover his entire arm with the sleeve of his hoodie. “It just…makes me feel _too_ different. Like I’m some kind of freak.’

“Oh Gilen, you’re not a freak.” I sighed, my heart going out to him. “It’s just that people… it’s hard to put yourself in another person’s shoes and see their life through their eyes. They just don’t understand what being mute entails.”

‘I know…I know…’ He waved off my words with practiced ease. It was clear that he heard the same thing many times before. ‘Still, even before I lost my voice, it was always hard for me to talk with others. The only one who I could really talk to was Lutz, James, and…’

For some reason, his hands spazzed out towards the end and a pained grimace flashed across his face.

“What’s wrong?! Did your hand cramp up or something?” I asked with a worried frown but he just waved it off dismissively.

‘I’m fine. Sorry about that. I just remembered something unpleasant.’ His eyes grew a faraway look, as if he were remembering something bitter sweet… ‘Anyway, the point is that it doesn’t matter if I can speak or not. It’s too much effort to talk to people and for people to talk to me. I don’t want to be a burden any more than I already am, so I’ll just keep my head down and stay out of the way like I always do…’

“But Gilen, that’s not a healthy way to deal with the situation.” I couldn’t help but express, even if it sounded presumptuous of me. I knew that people had their limits of social interactions, but him completely withdrawing into his shell and isolating himself was not going to solve anything. It could even escalate to the point where he’ll not want to interact with James or maybe even Lutz!

‘Maybe, but it’s the way that’s worked the best so far.’ He shrugged and I bit my lip in thought. There had to be another way to help with this situation. I just had to thin- wait a minute…holy crap I got it!

“Well…what if there was another way that would work even better!” He looked a little startled at my shout before giving me a curious stare.

‘What do you mean?’

“I…have an idea that may be able to help with your communication situation…” I gave Gilen a comforting smile, already running the plan through my head. “I’m not going to lie. You’re going to have to be out of your comfort zone for a bit and it may take a while, but I promise you that it will be worth it in the end. Do you feel alright with going along with this plan?”

Gilen looked unsure for a few moments and I made no move to rush him. This was a serious decision after all and I didn’t want to pressure him into a decision that he wasn't comfortable with making.

‘I…would like to hear what your plan is first…’ He eventually stated. ‘Then I’ll decided if I’m comfortable enough with going through with it or not.’

“Absolutely!” I quickly assured with a smile. “I’ll tell you while we walk back to the classroom so we won’t be late! We should start by getting out of this tree first though…”

Gilen nodded, but just as I was about to make my way down, he stopped me with a tap on the shoulder. I looked to see that he was staring at me with honest eyes.

‘Thank you…Frau (L/n).’

“Eh? For what?” I titled my curiously, trying to figure out what he was thanking me for and why.

‘For…just for caring…for listening…for a lot of things really.’ He seemed to struggle a bit before going on more confidently. ‘You’ve done more for James and the others these past few months than some people have their whole lives. Honestly, I feel that a simple thank you is not enough.”

I gapped at him, probably looking like an idiot with how I was half off of the tree branch and blushing like a boiled lobster. How do I even respond to something so sweet like that!

“T…T-There’s no need to thank me!” My hands waved haphazardly to the point where I nearly fell off the branch. Oh shit, that was close! I better be careful before I break a hip or something. “I’m your teacher after all, and it’s my duty to ensure that you feel safe and comfortable in my classroom! I just want you guys to be happy is all…”

Gilen said nothing to this, but I couldn’t help but notice that his eyes seemed a little brighter than usual and his frown a little lighter. He eventually nodded, looking satisfied with my words, and I grinned up at him.

“Great! Now before I tell you what I’m planning, why don’t we finally get out of this tree before we break something~?”

* * *

I clapped my hands, looking down at the three children in front of me with an eager smile. “Okay you guys, today we’re going to learn sign language!”

“Ha~?” Roland frowned up at me while Julia just blinked in surprise. “Why the hell are we gonna do that?”

I smiled and laid a gentle hand on Gilen’s shoulder. He gave me a nervous look, probably feeling unsure about this whole plan of mine. Even though he agreed to me making the effort of teaching Julia and Roland ASL, he still probably felt hesitant. Regardless, I just gave him a tiny wink in return. ‘Just trust me, I know what I’m doing~!’

“You guys know better than I do that Gilen can’t really speak. He can, however, communicate with you all through sign language.” I demonstrated, carefully sighing out my words. “If you all learn sign language, then you’ll be able to understand him better!”

“Hmph! I don’t want to understand anything about that cyborg!” Roland turned his nose up with a sniff while James’ sent me a questioning look.

“Do you really think these two idiots are capable of learning this?” He muttered, clearly wondering why I would even waste my time with such of thing. I knew, however, that this wouldn’t be a waste of time. I knew that if Gilen had more people that he could be comfortable talking with, then he wouldn’t isolate himself so much. Of course I wasn’t expecting him to be a social butterfly or anything, but it would be nice if this could give him some more self-confidence.

“Of course! You learned it well enough after all~!” I nodded before feeling a light tug on my clothes.

“Um…excuse me ma’am…” I looked down to see that it was Julia who had done so. She was shuffling her feet a little while biting her lip uncertainly. “If we were to learn sign language…will we be able to talk to Gil like we used to? Before the…accident?”

I blinked at her question, noticing how the three boys reacted in their own various ways. Accident? What accident?

“Oi…” James rumbled warningly as Roland clicked his tongue and gripped his hands into fists. I subtly turned my head to note that Gilen was absently fiddling with the fingers of his prosthetic, looking uncomfortable. Was that…because of this so-called accident? As well as his various scars and muteness?

I turned back to see that Julia was looking up at me with misty, yet hopeful eyes. I decided not to question her or any of the kids about it. It seemed to be a touchy subject and if they didn’t feel comfortable with telling me more about it, I wouldn’t pry.

Instead, I smiled with as much softness as I could muster and gave her an earnest nod. “Well, I can’t say that it will be exactly how it used to be…but I promise that you’ll be able to communicate with him again. You _and_ Roland. It’s going to be a lot of work and it may be frustrating at times, but Gilen, James, and I’ll be there to help you along the way!”

Julia’s eyes widened before a large and giddy smile blossomed onto her face. She was literally hopping in place, as if she couldn’t contain her excitement.

“Then…Then I’ll do it!” She declared, looking determined. “I…can’t hear Gil’s voice anymore and that makes me really, really, really sad! But, if I can hear his voice in another way…if learning sign language can make that happen, then I’ll do whatever it takes to learn it!”

Gilen looked taken aback by her words, even more so when Roland spoke up as well.

“Feh! I don’t wanna waste my time doing something boring like this!” He spat towards the ground, crossing his arms with a pout. “…However, it is even more boring arguing with the damn cyborg when I can’t even understand him.”

“Tch, as if you could argue with him even if you understood him.” James rolled his eyes, ignoring the fierce glare he was sent in return.

“Shut it you damn moose!” He snapped before pointing a challenging finger at Gilen with a sharp smile. “Listen well cyborg! I will learn this boring sign language of yours and curse you with that! Then you’ll have no excuse to ignore me like you’ve been doing!”

“Like hell I’ll let you keep bugging us.”

“He’s right Roland! Besides, Gil and I are going to learn all the ways to say I love you instead~!”

“Ach! That’s sounds totally un-rockin’!”

I noticed that Gilen was watching the three argue with wide eyes, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. I thought back to what he said earlier, about how he didn’t want to be a burden to others and how it was much easier to just keep his head down and stay silent.

I gave a sad smile at the thought and gently pat him on his shoulder to get his attention. “Y’know Gilen, while you may feel overwhelmed at times, it’s always good to remember that you have friends who can help you through it.”

‘But I…’ He looked down at his feet, confliction and anxiety clear on his face. ‘This is too much…I don’t want them to waste all this effort on me like this…’

“You know how stubborn these guys can be. So regardless of if we want them to or not, they’re going to see this to the end.” I chuckled a little, kneeling down to be face to face with him. “However, I want you to know that this _isn’t_ a burden to them. Instead, it’s more like a…challenge…a challenge that they willingly accepted…for you.”

Gilen still seemed unsure, which was to be expected. I knew that he couldn’t change his mindset in one day and that this was going to be a long process. However, I also knew that with enough time and patience, there would be a day where he wouldn’t have to feel hesitant like this. Where he would be able to tease, and argue, and laugh with his friends like any other child out there.

“So…just for a little bit,” I gently held his hands in mine, feeling the smooth plastic of his left and the warmth of his right. “Let their efforts go towards you…okay?”

Gilen’s eyes gleamed like freshly polished rubies. He slowly pulled his hands out of mine and held them to his chest protectively. His lips twitched and, for the first time since I’ve seen him, he smiled…

‘Thank you…Ms. (L/n)…’ The silent smile on his face seemed to speak louder than any words he could’ve said.

In return, I smiled back. “It’s no problem~!”

* * *

Gilen’s faint smile at the memory faded as he stared at Luciano’s own malicious one. (F/n) was one of the few people in his life who didn’t just tell him to suck it up and speak. Who saw _him_ and not some freak or poor soul. Who took the time and initiative to work with his impediment rather than against it. He could tell that she was a kind and honest person, someone who didn’t deserve what ever Luciano had planned for her.

He knew that no matter what he said or did, he couldn’t put a stop to the Italian’s plans by himself. However, if he were to work alongside with the others who were also fond of their teacher, then they may be able to avoid a tragedy. It was the least that he could do, to pay back for everything that’s she’s done for his friends and him.

Gilen squared his shoulders in determination and silently walked out of the room. He had to get in touch with James as soon as possible…

* * *

_**Oh~ and the plot thickens! What does the Axis have planned for the Reader? What was the accident that Gilen was supposedly in? Why does Jason keep getting injured all the time?!** _

_**You’ll all just have to wait and see in the future chapters~!** _

_**Thanks for Reading~!** _


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